“Here in Spain I found a really good routine of training and life, and its very good for me,” said the 22-year-old who came 18th at the 2020 CrossFit Games. “I have this rhythm of being an athlete here, I have a lot of support and there are a lot of people like me on the island, they also focus on being an athlete and they understand my lifestyle. In Poland I was kind of the only person doing what I was doing, so at times it was a bit lonely.”
Migala moved to the island in February of 2020, right before the pandemic struck, however was lucky enough to have a place to train outside of the city, in Palma, on a farm with all the requisite equipment. She said the goal in moving to Mallorca was twofold: one for personal reasons, and one for professional reasons.
“(Kristof) is from Hungary and I am from Poland and we wanted to choose a place where we could live together. And I really didn’t want to go to Hungary and he didn’t want to go to Poland, so we decided that we were going to find a new place, and at that time we were both starting to work with the same coach who lives here on the island so it was an easy decision.”
She’s been fine-tuning her gymnastics, turning it from a weakness into an asset, however at 22 years old with two CrossFit Games appearances already under her belt, Migala doesn’t have to rush her career. She said the goal is a slow, steady progression to the top of the CrossFit world, and that she is willing to make that journey in a deliberate manner.
“I think the most important thing for me is time. I just need more time to train, to develop my skills and work on my weaknesses. And when I compare myself to myself from last year I feel like I have already made a huge improvement, so I can’t wait to show everyone where I am at this point.”
Before switching to the women’s division, Migala had already established herself as a future threat, as she took third at the CrossFit Games teens division (16-17) in 2016, and sixth place in the European Regionals in 2018 competing in the open category. She is set to line up against Laura at the CrossFit Lowlands Throwdown semi-final event, however the European qualifier for the 2021 CrossFit Games has been moved online.
Snorri Baron, who manages a number of CrossFit stars such as Icelandic star Sara Sigmundsdottir, and works with Migala, said even though she is young, she had the brain of an experienced veteran.“Her greatest asset is her strong mind. For such a young athlete she is incredibly calm and calculated in competitions. Super focused and up for it, every single time.”
Migala is even up for tennis, a sport she used to play competitively back in Poland before CrossFit came into her life. A few months ago she picked up a racket for the first time in six years, playing on a friend’s court on the island, however she said it took her a while for muscle memory to kick in.
“My forehand was still there, but my backhand ... oh my god, for the first 30 minutes the ball was going everywhere, but then after 30 minutes or so I found it again.”
While she gets in a bit of tennis on recovery days, and likes to head to the beach or to explore the island’s cafes, Migala isn’t there for the idyllic lifestyle. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
“It’s CrossFit all day, all the time. My life revolves around CrossFit, and that is how I like it.”
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