Netflix viewers know Elisa Fuliano as the woman who won the first challenge of Physical 100: Italy, holding a plank on a grid above a pool for more than an hour and 27 minutes. CrossFit fans know her as Italy’s best: ninth at the 2026 CrossFit Games, a national record, despite living with rheumatoid arthritis. On 23 October she competes at the Rogue Invitational in Aberdeen against the Fittest Woman on Earth.
Here’s who she is, what she did on Physical 100, and her CrossFit record.
- Born: 9 July 1996, Genoa, Italy (30)
- Nickname: “Fulix”
- Height and weight: 157cm, 61kg, per Wikipedia
- Background: artistic gymnastics and athletics (100m, 200m, pole vault)
- Best CrossFit Games result: 9th (2026), an Italian record
- Physical 100: Italy: won the opening plank challenge (1 hr 27 min)
- Coach: Matteo Agnello, CrossFit Altessano
Who is Elisa Fuliano?
Fuliano was born in Genoa on 9 July 1996. Before CrossFit she did artistic gymnastics and athletics, sprinting the 100m and 200m and pole vaulting (best: 3.00m), according to her Wikipedia profile. She has a degree in digital communication design.
She was the first Italian to qualify for the individual women’s division at the CrossFit Games three years in a row (2022, 2023 and 2024). In September 2021 she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that inflames the joints, and has kept competing at the top level while managing it.
Elisa Fuliano on Physical 100: Italy
Fuliano was the standout of the first week of Netflix’s Physical 100: Italy. She won the opening challenge, a plank on a suspended grid of bars above a pool with laser beams switching on and off, after more than an hour and 27 minutes, the longest single effort of the series. Then she beat TV presenter and kickboxer Elisabetta Canalis in the one-on-one duels.
Her run ended in episode 5. As a team captain she lost the Forgotten Temple, a sandbag bridge race, in episode 4. In the Pillars of Hercules that followed, she held two pillars upright as they filled with water to try to bring her team back, but Alvise Rigo outlasted her and the other captains. The full story is in our guides to every Physical 100: Italy challenge and the full Italy cast.
Her best year: ninth at the 2026 CrossFit Games
In July 2026 Fuliano finished ninth at the CrossFit Games in San Jose with 926 points (Generation Iron), the best result by an Italian woman. Her previous best was 20th in 2023.
| Year | CrossFit Games result |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Competed |
| 2023 | 20th |
| 2024 | Competed |
| 2026 | 9th (Italian record) |
The Rogue Invitational
Fuliano was the first Italian to qualify for the Rogue Invitational, by finishing first in its online qualifier, The Q. In Aberdeen (23 to 25 October) she faces a 20-woman field led by Fittest Woman on Earth Aimee Cringle and three-time Rogue champion Laura Horvath. See the full Rogue Invitational 2026 guide.
Train like the plank champion
- Build the grip and shoulders an hour-long hold needs with our dead hang guide.
- Test yourself with the grip strength test.
- The free 28-day military calisthenics plan.
Elisa Fuliano FAQ
Who won the first challenge on Physical 100: Italy?
Elisa Fuliano, who held a plank on a suspended grid above the pool for more than an hour and 27 minutes.
Who is Elisa Fuliano?
An Italian CrossFit athlete from Genoa, ninth at the 2026 CrossFit Games, and a contestant on Netflix’s Physical 100: Italy.
How old is Elisa Fuliano?
30. She was born on 9 July 1996.
Does Elisa Fuliano have rheumatoid arthritis?
Yes. She was diagnosed in September 2021 and has continued to compete at the CrossFit Games.
Is Elisa Fuliano competing at the Rogue Invitational?
Yes. She’s in the women’s field in Aberdeen, 23 to 25 October 2026.
