She Was Told the Weightlifting Gym Had No Space for Girls — So Laura Horváth Showed Up Anyway… and Started Beating Everyone in the Room

This is the latest video from the World Fitness Project — and it’s all about Laura Horváth like you’ve never seen her before. From being turned away at a weightlifting gym for being a girl… to standing on top of the CrossFit Games podium, her journey is raw, real, and relentlessly inspiring.

In just a few minutes, you’ll see what drives her obsession with winning, how she turned early rejection into fuel, and why her next move could change the game for athletes everywhere. There’s grit, there’s heart — and more than a few surprises.

If you think you know Laura Horváth, think again.

From Playground Races to Sporting Glory

Growing up in Budapest, Horváth’s competitive spark lit early. She signed up solo for school running events. Then mountain biking. Sports, she said, felt inevitable in her family.

“I think I wanted to be competitive in sports ever since I can remember,” she shared. With both parents heavily involved in athletics — her father even building a climbing gym within her school — Laura was immersed in an active lifestyle from day one.

While her classmates gravitated toward music and the arts, Horváth was drawn to challenges. Her eagerness to participate made her an outlier. She embraced it anyway.

Climbing: The Family Foundation

Built by her father over 30 years ago, the climbing gym became more than just a training space — it was home. Her mom and dad coached kids after school daily, embedding athletics into everyday life. Laura grew up watching their dedication, eventually joining in the training herself.

The routine was foundational: warm-ups, climbs, cooldowns — and community. “The climbing gym is like the family business,” she said. “Everyone works all the time.”

By her teenage years, she was competing internationally, traveling with her father to European championships. It was around this time that she began excelling rapidly — but another sport soon caught her eye.

How CrossFit Became Her Catalyst

Through her older brother Kristóf, Horváth discovered CrossFit around 16 or 17. He’d seen it on television, sparked an interest, and convinced their father to buy basic equipment — a barbell, a kettlebell, and some plates — and set it up inside the climbing gym.

Laura, already mentally built for multi-discipline intensity, joined in. Initially, CrossFit was a way to enhance her climbing. But her natural strength and competitive nature made it clear: she didn’t just fit in — she dominated.

“I was this 16-year-old girl working out with 20-year-old boys. They didn’t love having me around… until I started beating them,” she laughed. Her first major workout? The benchmark “Angie.” Pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, squats — an early test she handled like a veteran.

Breaking Barriers — Especially Gender Ones

Horváth’s entry into weightlifting wasn’t just about performance. It was about challenging norms. When Kristóf went to a weightlifting club, he told Laura she couldn’t come — there wasn’t even a female changing room. She went anyway.

Once there, the coaches welcomed her with open arms. “They were like, finally a girl signed up!” she recalled.

Beyond chase-the-podium ambitions, Horváth quickly realized her impact extended further than athletic achievement. “Girls look up to me not because I win medals, but because of who I am,” she said. “Being strong, taking up space — that makes a difference.”

2018 CrossFit Games Breakthrough

After years of relentless training, she landed on the biggest stage: The CrossFit Games. In 2018, she shocked the world with a second-place finish. For many, it was a triumph. For Horváth, it was fuel.

“I went there to win. I was happy with the podium, but I hate losing. And second place is the worst,” she said plainly. “You’re the biggest loser.”

Redemption in 2023 — and an Athlete at Peace

Five years later, the redemption arc was complete. In 2023, she stood atop the podium as the CrossFit Games champion.

“That meant a lot because I worked toward that goal since 2016…or 2015,” she explained. Her consistency, maturity, and training paid off in full.

These days, her focus is still intense but more holistic. She balances high-level performance with grounded routines like caring for her beloved corgi, weightlifting sessions, and preparing for a new venture: opening her own gym with Kristóf.

The Gym: A Dream Becoming Reality

The sibling duo has secured a space just down the road from where Laura currently trains. It’s an empty warehouse now, but vision is clear. “It’s going to have everything — CrossFit, bodybuilding, all of it,” she said.

They hope to create a hub not just for elite training but for community. The layout will include changing rooms, lifting areas, and a functional fitness zone — blending all that shaped them into one powerful environment.

Looking Ahead: World Fitness Project and the Future

In 2024, Horváth’s eye is set on the World Fitness Project. This new competition series aims to professionalize fitness with a points-based system across three events, culminating in a final that crowns the sport’s best all-around athlete.

For Horváth, it’s the ideal challenge. “It’s not just strength; it’s speed, gymnastics, agility…everything,” she said. It echoes her long-time philosophy of building all-around human performance.

More importantly, it’ll give fans a deeper glimpse into who she is beyond the arena. “People mostly see me compete. But I want them to know the person behind the events,” she explained. “I’m not trying to convince anyone. What you see is what you get. I’m always going for first place.”

Legacy Beyond the Leaderboard

Horváth’s impact stretches far beyond gold medals. She’s become a symbol — especially for young women reclaiming strength on their own terms.

“I never thought I’d be someone to inspire others. But then girls tell me they started going to the gym because they saw me and thought, ‘If she can do it, so can I.’ That’s bigger than any medal,” she said.

With a magnetic mix of intensity, joy, and humility, Laura Horváth continues to redefine what success — and strength — really means.