Story in the Atlantic

The 2015 Atlantic Regional was a matchup of champions not to be missed: 2014 South East Regional champ Emily Bridgers faced 2013 Reebok CrossFit Games winner Samantha Briggs, while fellow 2014 South East winner Noah Ohlsen stared down four-time Mid Atlantic Regional champ Ben Smith.

Day 1 opened with two Hero workouts: Randy and Tommy V. As expected, Briggs, known as “The Engine,” set the bar high as she cruised through Randy’s 75 snatches in just 2:28.8 to take first overall. The transplant from the Europe Region followed that up with second place on Tommy V to end Day 1 atop the leaderboard. But Bridgers was on home turf in Atlanta, Georgia, and was eager to represent.

“There is no one in here that has momentum like Emily Bridgers does,” CrossFit Media announcer Brandon Domingue said as Bridgers sailed to an Event 3 win. It was her first of four victories over the last five events, and she was well on her way to first overall.

Smith was challenged not only by Ohlsen but also new face Aaron Hanna and longtime Games hopeful Elijah Muhammad.

“I want it bad,” Muhammad said on the first day of competition. “I’m just gonna keep trying and keep giving it my all to get it. My daughter wants to see me get it, so, she’s rooting for me.”

Muhammad’s daughter was no doubt pleased to see her father finish third. Ohlsen held a 38-point lead over second-place Hanna at the end of the competition.

There was a single world record set at the Atlantic Regional: CrossFit Bound from Kennesaw, Georgia, lifted a combined 1,230 lb. in Event 4 (one-rep-max snatch).

The Atlantic will send four rookies—Hanna, Muhammad, Nathan Bramblett and Whitney Gelin—and six vets—Ohlsen, Smith, Bridgers, Briggs, Anna Tunnicliffe and Cassidy Lance—to this year’s individual competition at the CrossFit Games.

Video by Mike Koslap, Michael Dalton and Ian Wittenber.

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