💰 Big Names, Big Payouts at The Crucible

February 12th, 2026

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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

  • 💰The Crucible made a statement in its third year, with a $522,000 prize pool. Roman Khrennikov and Emily de Rooy took the top spots, each earning $50,000.

  • 🙏 The Open is stressful for athletes — but it’s exhausting for coaches. Check out four simple ways to make their lives easier this season.

  • 💪 After ACL surgery, autoimmune setbacks, and years away from the Games floor, Sara Sigmundsdottir is officially building toward a 2026 return.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
❝

You just have to stay in the moment when you're in this stage and you have to forget the past.”

Sara Sigmundsdottir on her 2026 CrossFit Games comeback campaign.
COMPETITIONS

The Crucible Thrives in Its Third Year, Pays Out Athletes $522,000

Credit: Mike Halpin

Last weekend, Abu Dhabi hosted the third annual Crucible competition, with winners Roman Khrennikov and Emily de Rooy walking away $50,000 richer after topping the podium. 

Although still a relatively new event, it drew an impressive roster of professional athletes. One reason could have been the $522,000 prize purse, and another could have been the low total volume compared to other high-level comps with large payouts.

  • For its third iteration, the event was livestreamed and featured an elite roster of broadcast team members, including Mike Halpin, Lauren Smith, Jeremy Austin, and Brian Friend. 

Additionally, former Elite 15 HYROX racer and Tia Clair Toomey Orr’s Erg coach, Jane Erbacher; swim expert and UAE local Mike Bourne; and Ed Haynes of The Process in Hong Kong, China (brother of Games athlete Ant Haynes) were all part of the broadcast.

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SPEED READS

🚨🚨 The CrossFit Open is Coming: The 2026 CrossFit Open will take place February 26-March 16, so get signed up now!

⚡👟 PUMA x HYROX Deviate Elite Drops Feb. 19: The long-awaited race-day shoe is finally releasing — and HYROX is giving fans a chance to win a pair before the official drop.

⌚🧠 Fitness Wearables Could Spot Depression Relapse Before It Hits: New research suggests wrist-worn devices like smartwatches can detect changes in sleep, activity, and physiological patterns that signal the risk of major depressive relapse weeks ahead — opening the door to early interventions and proactive care.

⚡🏋️‍♂️ The Workout of the Day Turns 25: On Feb. 10, 2001, CrossFit posted its first WOD on CrossFit.com — no bells or whistles, just a workout and a prompt to post your score. That simple daily post became a cornerstone of global training.

ICYMI: Recovery products these athletes swear by. (Rx article)

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

4 Ways To Avoid Being a High-Maintenance CrossFit Open Participant This Year

Credit: Victor Freitas

The CrossFit Games Open and Quarterfinals can be stressful for many, especially those aiming to qualify for the next level of competition.

I remember. I was there. 

I competed at Regionals five times and at the CrossFit Games in 2014 as an individual. Each Open, I was an overly stressed, off-the-charts-anxious athlete. 

Now that I'm on the other side, I feel I need to apologize to my coach for my high-maintenance tendencies during the Open.

As a competitive athlete, I didn’t realize how much coaches and gym owners endure during the Open and Quarterfinals each year.

Not only do they volunteer countless hours — hosting Open prep sessions and Friday Night Lights, putting on additional recovery programming, taping the floors and prepping the gym, printing out scoresheets, navigating the logistics of each workout, and then throwing a kick-ass Open after-party (the list goes on) — they’re also left managing their members’ range of emotions for three weeks. 

  • All this means that by the end of the Open (thank goodness it’s no longer five weeks long), coaches and gym owners are exhausted. Probably more exhausted than the athletes themselves. 

PROFILE

After Years of Setbacks, Sara Sigmundsdottir Targets the 2026 CrossFit Games

Credit: Scott Freymond

Since 2021, fans have been rooting for CrossFit legend Sara Sigmundsdottir to return to the CrossFit Games. In her 13-year career (which began with the Open in 2013), she made six Games appearances from 2015 to 2020 but did not advance to the in-person finals at the Ranch during the COVID-affected 2020 Games. 

  •  She podiumed twice in 2015 and 2016 and was an athlete many felt had a decent shot at the title of Fittest on Earth. 

Facing Hurdles

Over the last few years, while she’s continued to compete in the Open and even reached the Semifinals in 2022, 2023, and 2024, she’s faced several setbacks. 

  • One was an ACL tear in 2021. Another was joint inflammation caused by an autoimmune condition called reactive arthritis.

HIGHLIGHTS

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

  • 🎂Happy birthday (2/18) to Ellie Turner.

  • Congratulations to Roman Khrennikov and Emily de Rooy, winners of The Crucible.

  • Well done to Chelsea of 12 Labours CrossFit in Maryland on this set of 10 back squats at 120 kilos/265 pounds.

  • Check out this new movement from Brent Fikowski — something to add to your next Metcon?

  • 🐒Check out this Monkey Press from Bronislaw Olenkowicz at 40 kilos/88 pounds.