French Throwdown qualifies Elisa Fuliano, Hopper

Jayson Hopper and Elisa Fuliano emerged from the 2026 French Throwdown with CrossFit Games qualification after the Paris semifinal concluded on May 17. The French Throwdown was the only CrossFit semifinal held that weekend and awarded three Games spots each in the men’s and women’s individual divisions, according to CrossFit’s 2026 season schedule. Hopper won the men’s competition, while Fuliano climbed into the final qualifying position on the women’s side. The event ran May 15-17 in Paris, with CrossFit listing it as an in-person semifinal for individuals, teams and masters. ### How did Hopper get through a semifinal he entered late? Jayson Hopper finished first overall with 554 points after what The Barbell Spin described as two event wins and two second-place finishes across the weekend. Moritz Fiebig placed second on 467 points, and Nika Maisuradze took third on 466, rounding out the three men who advanced to the 2026 CrossFit Games. May 5 was when Hopper’s entry became a storyline of its own. The Barbell Spin reported that Hopper had withdrawn from the Mayhem Classic because of a groin injury and then accepted an invite to compete in France instead. That report said Hopper told co-hosts on the “Boys Interrupted” show that he liked the workouts and did not expect a heavy demand on the injured area. The French Throwdown field mattered because only the top three men advanced. A preview published before the event listed Hopper alongside European contenders including Fiebig, Calum Clements and others competing for those three places. ### What changed in the women’s race on the last event? Elisa Fuliano qualified by moving into third overall in the final event, according to The Barbell Spin’s event recap. Leah Storen entered Event 6 in third place, but the report said her seventh-place finish was not enough to keep Fuliano behind her after Fuliano took third in that event. Mirjam von Rohr won the women’s division and Aimee Cringle finished second, The Barbell Spin reported. Fuliano took the last available Games place after what the outlet described as a close fight on Sunday for the top positions and the final qualifying spot. The margin was narrow. The Barbell Spin said Storen began the last event just 12 points ahead of Fuliano before the standings changed. ### Was this Fuliano’s fourth or fifth Games qualification? Yardbarker reported on May 19 that Fuliano had secured her fifth CrossFit Games qualification at the French Throwdown. CrossFit’s athlete page for Fuliano shows Games appearances in 2022, 2023 and 2024, which would make a 2026 berth her fourth appearance if counted by completed Games starts. The discrepancy appears to be one of wording rather than the result itself. The Barbell Spin’s event story said Fuliano had qualified for her fourth Games appearance, while Yardbarker described the French Throwdown result as her fifth qualification. Both reports agree that the Italian athlete earned a Games berth in Paris. ### Why was the French Throwdown so consequential this weekend? CrossFit’s 2026 semifinals schedule lists the French Throwdown as the only in-person semifinal held on May 15-17 and assigns it three men’s and three women’s Games-qualifying spots. That made the Paris event the direct route to the Games for athletes in that field rather than a points race or a regular-season stop. The same schedule shows the French Throwdown also awarded three team berths to the Games. The Barbell Spin reported that CrossFit Oslo Kriger won the team competition, with CrossFit Södra Wättern and Team Butcher’s Lab Pursuit also qualifying. ### What comes next on the CrossFit calendar? CrossFit’s published 2026 semifinals schedule lists Torian Pro in Brisbane, Queensland, on May 22-24 as the next in-person semifinal. The same schedule page carries the event dates, locations and Games-qualifying allocations for the remaining semifinal stage.