It’s time again for the CrossFit Games! To say we are excited is an understatement. For the first time ever, WodBottom will be a vendor at the event, and we’ve got something NEW planned!
But first, we’re highlighting the athletes to watch in this year’s Games. (And yes, we’ll tell you all about our exciting announcement in this blog, too!)
Female Athletes to Watch in the 2022 CrossFit Games
We love strong women here at WodBottom, and the CrossFit Games is the best place to see female powerhouses on display. Here are the five women we’re watching this year:
Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr
Tia-Clair is an Australian athlete who has won the CrossFit Games a staggering five consecutive times since 2017. She’s also an Olympic athlete and a Commonwealth Games gold medal winner, often considered the “fittest woman in the world.”
Tia-Clair’s benchmarks include 178 kg (392.4 lbs) deadlift and 87 kg (191.8 lb) snatch, which she completed at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.
She was introduced to CrossFit by her now husband, Shane Orr, who also acts as her coach.
Tia-Clair is the undisputed champion. Will she be able to claim the title for a sixth year in a row?
Mallory O’Brien
Mal O’Brien is a powerhouse 18-year-old who exploded onto the CrossFit scene during the 2021 Games. She won the 2022 CrossFit Open, becoming the youngest woman to do so. In 2021, she became the youngest person ever to win an event at the Open, winning her the title of CrossFit’s Rookie of the Year.
She may be young, and she may be small, but she could certainly win it all.
Laura Horvath
Laura is a 25-year-old two-time silver medalist at the CrossFit Games. The Hungarian athlete started as a competitive rock climber before hitting the CrossFit scene in 2014.
The first Hungarian athlete to compete in the Games, Laura has a long history in competitive sports. She comes from an athletic family, the daughter of an athlete father and a mother who is a PE teacher. Laura has always been involved in sports in one way or another before finding her way to CrossFit.
Laura’s benchmarks include a 130 kg (287 lb) back squat and a 110 kg (242.5 lb) Clean.
Definitely a star to watch during the 2022 CrossFit Games!
Haley Adams
North Carolina native Haley Adams has been described as “the future of CrossFit.” She broke onto the national scene in 2018 when she was named the fittest teen on earth. She finished 5th overall at the 2021 CrossFit Games and has since set her sights even higher.
Haley finished 3rd in the 2022 Open, setting the now 20-year-old up for a potential podium finish in the 2022 Games.
Gabriela Migala
The 23-year-old Polish athlete is living and training on the Spanish island of Mallorca. She started her athletic career as a tennis player before discovering CrossFit in 2015. Gabi finished 6th in last year’s Games, but she’s definitely one to watch going into 2022.
She finished 1st in the 2022 European Quarterfinals, making her a force to be reckoned with going into these Games.
Male Athletes to Watch
The 2022 CrossFit Games will be quite the competition for male athletes, too. We’re watching these five closely, expecting one of them to walk away with the title.
Justin Medeiros
Justin Medeiros is the reigning CrossFit champion, finishing 1st in the 2021 CrossFit Games. At just 22, he became the youngest man ever to win the Games.
The mullet-clad now 23-year-old American is just getting started. He finished 3rd worldwide in the 2022 Open, making him one of the top athletes to watch heading into this year’s Games.
Saxon Panchik
At just 12 years old, Saxon and his twin brother had a terrible accident that caused them to give up their beloved sport of football. Six months later, the brothers were introduced to CrossFit, and they’ve never looked back.
Both brothers competed in CrossFit competitions early on, but Saxon broke out as a star. He finished 19th in his first Games in 2018 but moved up to 5th by the 2021 Games. Heading into this Games, Saxon is poised to be one of the top finishers. He finished 1st worldwide in the 2022 Open, making this American a top challenger in this Games.
Roman Khrennikov
Russian athlete Roman Khrennikov is famous for more than his athletic prowess. In the shadow of his home country’s invasion of Ukraine, the athlete has spoken out publicly about the violence. When the attack started, Roman made a split-second decision to flee Russia and is now living and training in the U.S., leaving his pregnant wife behind.
With so much hanging over his head, Roman is preparing to take on the 2022 CrossFit Games. While he has yet to podium at a CrossFit Games, this CrossFit powerhouse is one to watch.
Pat Vellner
Canadian athlete Pay Vellner is a CrossFit veteran, first competing in the Open in 2013. The 32-year-old has competed in seven CrossFit Games, with 2021 being his best-ever finish. Pat has been on the CrossFit Games podium four times in his career, most recently finishing 2nd.
Pat deadlifts an impressive 595 lbs and has a max pull-up of 64.
He certainly has the muscle, the experience, and the drive. Will 2022 be his year to win?
Brent Fikowski
Canadian Brent Fikowski finished 3rd at last year’s CrossFit Games. The 31-year-old is no stranger to CrossFit, having been on the scene since 2013. He has competed in every Games since 2016, finishing fourth or better in four of those Games. He has been on the podium twice.
Brent finished 1st in his 2022 Semifinal, increasing the buzz around this world-class athlete.
WodBottom’s Exciting Role in the 2022 CrossFit Games
This year, WodBottom is thrilled to be a vendor at the CrossFit Games in Madison, Wisconsin. In addition to all your favorite WodBottom goodies for women, we’re also launching our brand new men’s line at the Games!
That’s right: WodBottom now has clothing just for men. We are releasing shorts and tops in very limited quantities at the Games. If you want to be one of the first to try this new line, be sure to stop by our booth.
We’ll see you there!
