The 2021 No Bull CrossFit Games, being held in Madison, Wisconsin at the Alliant Energy Center, are just around the corner!
The age groups and adaptive division start competition Tuesday, July 27th and the individuals start Wednesday, July 28th. The team competition starts on Thursday, July 28th.
Will Tia win a fifth Games championship?
Australian athlete Tia-Clair Toomey has won four straight CrossFit Games championships and looks to win her fifth in 2021. She’s a well rounded athlete with little to no holes in her game. Toomey won the 2021 Open single handedly. Despite her impressive resume, the Open was the only competition she had never won. At the Mid Atlantic CrossFit Challenge she put on another dominant performance with four event wins. She finished no lower than third in every event. Toomey is well in position to win a fifth CrossFit Games title. Another woman will have a flawless performance in order to beat Tia Clair Toomey.
Who could take on such a hefty challenge? Bethany Shadburne proved that she is a force to be reckoned with after moving training locations and dominating the West Coast Classic this season. Additionally, this is will be the first season in a few years where Shadburne will be going into the Games without nursing an injury. Also, Haley Adams is coming back for vengeance after a disappointing 4th place finish at the Games last year. She has put on a great deal of strength and gave Toomey a challenge in two events at the Mid Atlantic CrossFit Challenge. Adams is young, fit, and hungry.
Two 17 year old sensations will take the floor for the individual competition
17 year old’s Mallory O’Brien and Emma Cary, both former teenage Games athletes, burst onto the individual scene this season. Beating most athletes who were older than them, Cary finished 2nd in the Open and O’Brien finished 5th. Both athletes followed their Open performance by standing atop the podium at the Granite Games. O’Brien finished 2nd, Cary 3rd, punching their tickets to the individual division at the Games. These youngsters will be a treat to watch at this year’s Games.
Who will be the new men’s champion?
With five time champion Mat Fraser retired, a new man will stand atop the podium in 2021 and be crowned Fittest on Earth. For the first time in a decade, there is no clear cut favorite to win the Games. The talk about who will become the new champion has been rampant ever since Fraser announced his retirement earlier this year. Here’s who Coach Bree thinks is in the running:
- Jayson Hopper
- Scott Panchik
- Justin Medieros
- Bjorgvin Karl Gudmundsson
Who to watch in the age group competition
- Trista Smith (Girls 14-15)
- Nathan Kwant (Boys 14-15)
- Emma Lawson (Girls 16-17)
- Alethea Boon (Women 35-39)
- Dan Bailey (Men 35-39)
- Annie Sakamoto (Women 40-44)
