Abu Dhabi’s Yas Black’s multicultural look ready for CrossFit competition

Image credit: CrossFit LLC

A South African, Brit, New Zealander and Guatemalan walks into a gym in Abu Dhabi, UAE… Punch? This multinational team of athletes qualified for the CrossFit Games. Now, Yas Black, comprising Gemma Radar, Martha Cook, Michael Mikaere and Paolo Rossil, aims to add to the CrossFit Yas heritage.

Although Yas Black is an Olympic rookie, the athletes have six regionals, one sanction and six semifinal appearances. This experience proved to be helpful when they competed in the Far East in Busan, South Korea. After finishing second in the Asian quarterfinals, the question is how (and if) their performance will translate on the live playing field.

• “We all have some form of experience at the semifinal/regional level – myself and Gemma have team experience in 2018 and 2019.” Mike Mikaere explained, “So we knew the live games would be different, we Be prepared for that.”

Yas Black proved their consistency through quarter-final and semi-final weekends and showed their strength as a team, taking on KT CrossFit Kolesnikov and CrossFit Alioth. While they didn’t have the best KT CrossFit in any workout, their performance in the quarterfinals didn’t quite indicate what they hoped to achieve in Madison.

• “Initially… we agreed we were going to experience it,” Martha explained, but quickly added, “I knew our competitors wanted to show up and perform as well.”

There were only three spaces on the podium, but every team in Madison worked hard to get the best possible result for their team. While Yas Black didn’t have the numbers ready, they were trying to get to the final day of the competition.

Yas Black is the first CrossFit Yas team since the CrossFit Yas team finished third in 2016. Since then, former team members Jamie Simmonds (Greene) and Elliot Simmonds have helped Abu Dhabi Stadium build an international reputation with their Olympic performances spanning 2016-2020 respectively. Yas Black may be out of sight of onlookers, but their goal is to separate themselves from the past and forge a new name for themselves.

• “One of the reasons there was a lot of debate around the use of the name CrossFit Yas initially was that we didn’t tarnish the legacy of the previous team,” Michael said with a smile. “It’s something I’m personally very proud of, and I think all of us are — being able to carry on the name and have the opportunity to add to the legacy.”

Team-mate Paul Rossier added that in addition to representing the UAE, they are also supported by their home country of Guatemala, South Africa, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

The crown they put on Madison on behalf of CrossFit Yas may be heavy, but the team proudly reflects on the privilege of representing the gym and the country on the international stage. A team of foreign players formed early in the 2021 season did what they needed to get to Madison. They will write the rest of their story this week.