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Is Gui Malheiros the Most Dominant CrossFit Athlete Ever? (At the Thing He Is Dominant At)

February 10th, 2025

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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

  • Is Gui Malheiros the most dominant athlete in CrossFit history? No. But is he the most dominant athlete at the thing he is dominant at (lifting heavy)? Maybe. Check it out below.

  • Jeremy Thiel, owner of CrossFit Central in Austin, TX, is a true CrossFit OG. Learn some of the timeless he employs at his affiliate.

  • 2024 Games champ James Sprague and two-time champ Justin Medeiros took on HYROX Las Vegas (in different divisions). Check out how they and a whole cadre of elite CrossFitters took Sin City by storm.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I think there’s a big stigma in the CrossFit world that this sport is easy. And…not at all. Come humble yourself and try it.” - 2024 CrossFit Games champ, 2025 TYR WZA Indy Men’s champ, Jame Sprague on HYROX.

CROSSFIT GAMES

Credit: Lydia Stadthoewer

Is Gui Malheiros the Most Dominant CrossFit Athlete Ever? (At the Thing He Is Great At)

When it comes to power and speed, Brazil’s Gui Malheiros is like the Simone Biles of CrossFit: He never loses. 

Last month, that power was put on full display at the 2025 TYR Wodapalooza during “Worth the Weight,” where athletes had three attempts to establish a max effort clean plus hang clean.

  • Malheiros opened with 370 pounds before hitting 390 and 400 pounds, easily taking the event win.

For anyone else, that would be a career milestone. For Malheiros, it was just another day doing what he does best.

When it comes to heavy or max-effort Olympic weightlifting events — and to full-out sprint-style events — Malheiros is truly unmatched, even against the best CrossFit athletes in the world. 

He also tends to win easily and by large margins; it usually doesn’t even look like he’s maxing out most of the time.

Case in point: Malheiros won “Worth the Weight” at the 2025 TYR Wodapalooza by 20 pounds over the next best lifters, Austin Hatfield and Jack Farlow. 

  • In comparison, on the women’s side, two athletes — Anika Greer and Kyra Milligan — shared the event win with 255-pound lifts, while Dani Speegle and Laura Horvath were close behind with 250 pounds.

Malheiros’s Dominance From 2021-Present Day

Malheiros won three events in his rookie season at the Games, all of them being weightlifting or sprint events.

  • His first event win was the 550-meter sprint, which he took by three seconds over Will Moorad.

A MESSAGE FROM NUNORM

Stop Removing Your Shoes: NUNORM Delivers the Barefoot Training Advantage

Many CrossFit athletes lift barefoot to enhance stability and force transfer, but it’s not always practical. NUNORM provides the same benefits while keeping feet protected.

The Problem with Traditional Training Shoes

Most training shoes have elevated heels and narrow toe boxes, restricting movement and interfering with lifting mechanics. Barefoot lifting improves stability but lacks grip, exposes feet to gym surfaces, and offers no impact protection.

How NUNORM Solves It

NUNORM delivers a barefoot feel with key features:

  • Zero-Drop Sole – Encourages natural foot positioning for better posture, balance, and force transfer.

  • Wide Toe Box – Allows toes to spread, improving stability and foot strength while reducing fatigue.

When to Wear NUNORM

  • Strength Training – Ideal for deadlifts, squats, and static movements.

  • Warm-Ups & Mobility Work – Strengthens foot mechanics.

  • Daily Wear – Supports long-term foot health.

Train naturally without sacrificing protection. Build a stronger foundation for peak performance.

(All orders will be shipped in early April after the campaign ends)

SPEED READS

✍️📋CrossFit Athlete Council Survey: The CrossFit Athlete Council (CAC) has created a questionnaire “For Individual CrossFit Athletes and Coaches” to gather information about topics ranging from safety, to the Games season structure, to communication and transparency, and more. Answer the questionnaire here.

🏳️‍🌈💪Out in the Open: Launched in 2018, “Out in the Open” is the OUT Foundation’s all-gender, 100% inclusive fitness leaderboard for the LGBTQ+ community and allies. Learn more here and register now.

🏆🌎 World Fitness Tour Roster — Behind the Numbers with Fran Lung: Dave Charlton from Fran Lung Analytics took a deep dive into the stat books and crunched the numbers behind the World Fitness Tour rosters. Check it out in the Fran Lung Newsletter.

🚨🚨 The CrossFit Open Is Coming: The 2025 CrossFit Open will take place February 27-March 17, so get signed up now!

  • Bundle and save on 2025 CrossFit Open shirts and Judges course registration here.

ICYMI: Lucy Campbell’s win at the 2025 TYR WZA cemented her two-year comeback journey following a wrist injury. Check out some other impressive comebacks from CrossFit history here.

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

Credit: @crossfitcentral / Instagram

3 Timeless Business Lessons from CrossFit OG Jeremy Thiel

Few can match Jeremy Thiel's track record when it comes to sustained success in the CrossFit affiliate space.

As one of CrossFit's earliest competitive athletes and affiliate owners, Jeremy has survived and thrived through nearly two decades of industry evolution.

  • His CrossFit Central locations in Austin, Texas, along with his affiliate in Fredericksburg, showcase how traditional CrossFit methodology can blend with modern business innovation.

We recently sat down with Jeremy at his downtown Austin location, where his latest ventures include everything from pickleball courts to recovery services.

What emerged from our conversation was a masterclass in long-term affiliate success.

Here are three crucial lessons every affiliate owner should consider.

Numbers Should Drive Business Decisions

One of the most striking moments in our conversation was when Jeremy revealed his plans to convert one of his popular pickleball courts into a private training space. 

  • While this might seem counterintuitive, given pickleball's explosive growth, the decision exemplifies how data, not emotions or trends, should drive business choices.

His analysis showed that private training could generate up to 800 sessions per month in the same space that could only support 40-50 pickleball memberships. 

With private training sessions ranging from $100-150, compared to pickleball memberships averaging $150 per month, the revenue potential was dramatically different. ("The numbers don't crack," he reminded us.)

  • This analytical approach extends beyond just space utilization. Jeremy's tiered membership structure, with options ranging up to $499 for all-inclusive access, demonstrates how proper pricing analysis can create value at multiple levels.

The key is to regularly examine your numbers and be willing to make tough decisions based on what they tell you, even when those decisions might feel uncomfortable.

HYROX

Credit: Dallas Hamm

James Sprague and Justin Medeiros Make Their HYROX Debuts in Las Vegas

CrossFitters have been dabbling in HYROX racing since it gained popularity in the United States just a few years ago. Last weekend, many of the sport's fittest athletes took to the course in Las Vegas, NV. 

Remind me: The HYROX Las Vegas Major featured athletes in the Elite 15 trying to qualify for the World Championship. Meanwhile, hundreds of other athletes were also there to compete in the regular divisions, including 2024 Fittest Man on Earth, James Sprague, and two-time Fittest Man on Earth, Justin Medeiros. 

Who Competed? 

Sprague competed in the Pro division and finished with a time of 1:03:35. As a comparison, the top time for the Elite 15 men’s division was 00:56:15 by Dylan Scott. 

  • “I think there’s a big stigma in the CrossFit world that this sport is easy and [it’s] not at all. Come humble yourself and try it,” Sprague said in a post-race interview. 

Most other notable CrossFit athletes competed in a pairs division. Medeiros competed with girlfriend and fellow elite CrossFitter Ellie Turner. The pair got 58:46:00 in the mixed doubles division.

  • Chandler Smith paired up with Dylan Scott to take on the pro doubles division. They had a blistering time of 56:36. 

  • Jessi Smith, Chandler Smith’s wife, paired up with fellow Games athlete Lauren Stallwood to compete in the pro doubles division as well. They finished in 1:05:07. 

  • Teen athlete turned elite individual Trista Smith paired up with her friend Jordan Willis for a time of 1:14:19. 

  • Games athletes Emily Rethwill and Phillip Muscarella raced in the doubles division. They finished with a very speedy time of 58:00. 

HIGHLIGHTS

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

  • 🎂Happy birthday to Todd Meleney.

  • 🏀Former basketball player Gui Malheiros tests out his dunking skills to see if he still has them. Spoiler: he does.

  • Check out this 158-kilo/350-pound clean and jerk PR from Alex from CrossFit SDA in Texas at The Fittest Experience.

  • Check out this young Jeff Adler from 2017, and happy eight-year anniversary to CrossFit Wonderland in Canada.

  • 🔥Congratulations to Teenage CrossFit Games athlete Ana Cattai of Brazil on this 102-kilo/225-pound Bella Complex.