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2024 CrossFit Games Preview and Predictions: Women's Division

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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

  • In just a few days, the Fittest on Earth will take the competition floor in Fort Worth, TX, at the 2024 CrossFit Games. Check out our podium picks and dark horses for the Women’s Division today.

  • When Ben Smith took the competition floor at the 2024 Crossfit Games Semifinals earlier this season, he was a decade older than many of his competitors and brought with him 15 years of experience. We talked with him about some of his favorite competition memories and his advice for CrossFit leaders today.

  • Want to follow your favorite athletes through their 2024 Games experience? Find out how to get connected so you don’t miss any of the action in Fort Worth.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I loved everything about the Ranch in California…The spirit, environment, uncharted-ness of the methodology, unknown and unknowable workouts, it all culminated to produce a seemingly transcendent challenge.” - Ben Smith on competing at the Ranch in Aromas, CA.

CROSSFIT GAMES

Credit: @vincentfranzeo / Instagram

2024 CrossFit Games: Women’s Podium Picks and Dark Horses

At first glance, the women’s story at the 2024 CrossFit Games might not seem as exciting as last year when the podium seemed more wide open and up for grabs than ever.

Remind me: Last season, the six-time and reigning champion Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr had just had a baby and was sitting out the season. 

But also, the second-place finisher from the year before, Mal O’Brien was out to take care of her mental health.

  • Further, three other notable perennial podium contenders — Kara Saunders, Haley Adams, and Brooke Wells — were also missing from the lineup.

This year is a bit of the same old, same old. Toomey-Orr is looking fitter than ever and has to be considered the overwhelming favorite to take the title and become a seven-time champion. 

That’s our prediction to take the top spot: Tia wins and makes history once again. Here’s how we think the rest of the competition will shake out.

Our Other Podium Picks

Second Place: Laura Horvath

Last year’s champion and four-time podium finisher Laura Horvath hopes to make it difficult on Toomey-Orr. Fresh off a victory at the recent Europe Semifinals, Horvath is the obvious pick to take a second podium spot. 

The question is more about whether or not Horvath can actually dethrone Toomey-Orr. 

  • She was able to do just that at the Rogue Invitational last fall, but Toomey-Orr was less than six months postpartum at the time, so we’re giving the edge back to the six-time champ in Fort Worth, TX, next week and are predicting Horvath to finish second.

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SPEED READS

🏋️🥇 2024 Olympic Weightlifting on Barbend: Be sure to sign up for The BarBend Newsletter to get in-depth results and analysis of the 2024 Olympic weightlifting contests, scheduled to take place August 7-11.

🚨🔥CrossFit Games Individual Event 4 Announced: On Friday afternoon, Dave Castro announced via Instagram, the fourth event for the individuals. According to the current schedule, athletes will take on this midline massacre on Friday morning. For time:

  • 50 deadlifts, 225/155 pounds

  • 5 rope climbs

  • 50/30 cal ski erg

  • 5 rope climbs

  • 50 GHD sit-ups

  • 5 rope climbs

  • 50 GHD sit-ups

  • 5 rope climbs

  • 50/30 cal ski erg

  • 5 rope climb

  • 50 deadlifts, 225/155 pounds

📺👀Global Coverage of 2024 CrossFit Games: In a press release last Friday, CrossFit announced that international television broadcasts are set to reach viewers in 116 countries.

🧑‍💻📋 PushPress Is Hiring: Gym software PushPress is hiring a senior product manager. This individual will be responsible for the strategic direction, development, and optimization of PushPress’s Core system. If this sounds like you, get more info and apply.

ICYMI: Check out our preview and predictions for the Team Division as the 30 fittest squads get ready to throw down in Fort Worth, TX, at the 2024 CrossFit Games.

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

Credit: @bsmit13 / Instagram

Baseball to Barbells: How Ben Smith "Accidentally" Became a CrossFit Games Champion and Inspired a Generation of Athletes

If you type “Ben Smith” into the search bar on the Crossfit Games website, you’ll find 16 athletes of varying levels and capabilities. 

  • But while there might be 16 Ben Smiths CrossFitting at their local affiliates, there is only one “Ben Smith – CrossFit Games Champion.”

Back in 2009, 19-year-old Ben Smith stepped onto the stage at the CrossFit Games for the first time and took 64th place. 

  • Fast forward six years and he would stand on top of the podium as the Fittest Man on Earth. 

Today, Smith can still be found on the competition floor, most recently at the 2024 North America East Semifinals, where he continued to set personal records and hold his own against competitors more than a decade younger.

  • Despite his impressive career, which includes 11 individual appearances and one team appearance at the CrossFit Games, newcomers to the sport might not recognize the impact he’s had and continues to have. 

Worse yet, they might not know that for eight consecutive years during what many consider the Golden Age of CrossFit (2010-2018), Smith never finished lower than 12th and carded seven top 10s, four podiums, and one gold medal in 2015. 

To understand how he reached the pinnacle of the sport, we need to go back to where it all began.

CROSSFIT GAMES

Photo Credit: Sara Ines Chew

Get Connected: Follow the 2024 CrossFit Games Athletes on Instagram

We’re just a few days away from the 2024 CrossFit Games, and anticipation is starting to peak for athletes and fans worldwide. 

Whether you’ll be on the ground watching the action in Fort Worth, TX, or watching the live stream from afar, here are some ways to stay updated on all the action from the Games. 

Follow Morning Chalk Up’s Social Media Accounts 

Get fast updates, athlete highlights, and all the on-site action. 

Follow Your Favorite Athletes on Instagram

Below is an alphabetical list of every single Individual athlete’s personal Instagram accounts so you can follow their journeys and accounts of their biggest weekend of the year.

Women

HIGHLIGHTS

Celebrating a PR, hosting a fundraiser, this, that, or otherwise? Send us a tip.

  • 🎂Happy belated birthday (8/1) to Alex Gazan.

  • Happy birthday to CJ Martin.

  • Henrik Haapalainen, like so many Games athletes, is prepping for the clean ladder coming up next week. Looking smooth, Henrik!

  • Great job to Hamali of Australia, who swept all four workouts for the Down Under Championship online qualifier in her division. 

  • 🔥Games athlete Danielle Dunlap of team 8th Day CrossFit is putting the finishing touches on before Texas. Great work, Danielle!