Roman Khrennikov
For many crossfitters, this year will have been the first time they have heard of the Russian athlete. Roman Khrennikov.
On the other hand, those of us who belong to the Europe region have been hearing his name for years.
Biography - personal data
Place of birth: Irkutsk, Russia
Year of birth: 1995
Height: 182 cm
Weight: 97 kg
Instagram: @roman_khrennikov
ProgrammingBrute Strength
Season 2022
CrossFit Games 2022
Participates for the first time in the Games, finishing in 2nd position, just 30 points behind Justin Medeiros.
He won 2 events and his worst result was 13th in the event of sandbag lifting.
Their U.S. visa has a duration of 5 years. and makes the decision not to return to Russia to ensure that he has no problems competing in future editions of the CrossFit Games.
He meets his son for the first time a few days before the Games begin, when his wife travels with the baby to the reunion. On the podium, Roman celebrates with his son, a very representative image of all he had had to sacrifice to be there.
When he got his visa in the spring, he decided to travel immediately to the U.S. even though his wife was due to give birth to their first child in the coming weeks.
Far East Throwdown
Qualifies for the CrossFit Games in the Semifinal held in South Korea.
Roman requested to change Semifinal due to the risk of not being able to re-enter the United States. In the end, he had no impediment to re-enter the country.
Get the visa in 2022
Roman announces on Instagram that he has achieved his visa to enter the U.S. after 3 years denied, 4 years of waiting, adding up the 2020 season which was held with only the top 5 athletes.
2021
He wins a spot in the Games after winning the Last Chance Qualifier. However, his visa problems persist and he fails to arrange a timely interview with the U.S. embassy. It would be the 4th year without being able to participate in the Games.
He was 3rd in the CrossFit Asia Invitional and is playing for the pass in the Last Chance Qualifier.
2020
Participated in the online phase of the Games, but did not make it into the top 5. He finished in 13th position.
2019
Visa denied in 2019
Despite being qualified for CrossFit Games 2019, Roman posts on his instagram account that, for the second consecutive time, has problems obtaining a visa and will not be able to travel to Madison to participate in the top competition..
CrossFit Italian Showdown
In April 2019 he wins the CrossFit Italian Showdown. We saw the athlete very happy to have achieved this victory and achieves his qualification for the CrossFit Games 2019.
Strength in Depth
In February 2019, Roman participates in the London SiD where despite doing well, he is not able to achieve victory.
2018
Roman Khrennikov does not participate in the Games 2018.
Despite having qualified with the first place, Roman will not be able to compete this year due to administrative issues. As explained by Roman Khrennikov himself on his Instagram, the athlete had applied for a visa to compete in the USA and on two occasions the application has been declined, and this has caused him much indignation, as he is out of the competition for reasons completely unrelated to him.
The athlete himself explains that he has his sights set on 2019 and will do everything possible to prove once again that he deserves his place at the Games.
Curiosities
Communist tattoo?
In forums we have found several hypotheses about the visa refusal. One of them revolves around the hammer and sickle tattoo that Khrennikov has on his back. A symbol used on the flag of the Soviet Union and communism that the athlete explains he inherited from his grandfather.
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The truth is that we still do not have much data on this Russian athlete who seems to have come out of nowhere, but everything points to the fact that we will soon have more information. The fact that he had a dominant position in one of the regionals with the highest level, passing ahead of the best, makes us think that in the 2018 Games we will have Roman in the news.
We can note that so far no Russian athlete had qualified to compete in the Games and this year Roman and Ganin, who was 4th in Berlin, did so. Later, it was announced that Ganin tested positive for doping and his invitation to the Games was cancelled.
