The CrossFit Games Regionals swept through Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and Asia, crowning Kara Webb and Rob Forte among the fittest five women, men and teams who will represent at the 2016 Reebok CrossFit Games.

CrossFit gives everyone equal opportunity, and it’s encouraging that 50 percent of the individual qualifiers were rookies.

Individual honours for Justine Beath

Justine Beath may be a rookie to the CrossFit Games, but she’s has been in the CrossFit scene since 2009. In 2013, the 25-year-old helped Team CrossFit Active to a 12th-place finish at the CrossFit Games but this time, she earned herself a spot with six top-10 finishes, including second-place finishes in Events 2 and 5.

“I’m so excited. It’s been a long time coming,” says Beath.

Teenage Rookie Madeline Sturt

Madeline Sturt may only be a teeenager, but she showed her strength by   edging out fellow rookie Harriet Roberts by 11 points after the final event. The former track-and-field athlete astounded the stadium in Wollongong, Australia, with her blistering GHD sit-up pace and unbroken touch-and-go, 275-lb. deadlifts at 5-foot-2 and 130 lb., launching her from beneath the top 10 to eighth overall by the end of Day 2.

“I’m really happy, I’m really shocked, I didn’t expect this at all,” Sturt said.

Sturt also blew the crowd away on the legless rope climbs of the final event, when she scaled the rope with rhythmic pendulum-like swings, never failing on a single one.

Persistance is Key for James Newbury

James Newbury has finally broken the jinx and booked himself a spot at the CrossFit Games after coming close five time before. Top wins in Events 3 and 5 bumped him from the edge of the map to third overall after five events.

“Five years coming, fifth time lucky. I knew coming into it I’d trained really hard and really consistent. I was feeling as fit as ever and strong as ever and injury free as ever, so I knew all I had to do was go in and hurt pretty bad in each workout, and I knew that would hopefully get me across the board,” the 25-year-old said.

Struggle pays off for Khan Porter

It was highs and lows throughout the competition weekend as Khan Porter struggled and had to dig deep to qualify for the Games.

“I’ve never been in a position where I’ve had to fight for that last spot,” he said. “(Day 2) sucked; nothing went to plan, I finished out the day in a terrible head space. I was just really down on myself, I really got into my own head for a bit.”

Dropping out of contention after Day 2, Porter refocused and worked hard to  get back into the games on Day 3.

When fellow competitor Zeke Grove got no-repped on his second set of thrusters and legless rope climbs, Porter seized the lead, scaling the rope like a man fleeing for his life.

Porter secured a win in the last event, and the last 3 blistering minutes of the regional meant more to Porter than three days of competition; the victory boosted him not only into contention, but into third overall.

Read more at CrossFit.com