2024 CrossFit Games Predictions: Men’s Podium Picks and Dark Horses
The men’s field at the 2024 CrossFit Games might be the toughest race we have seen in a long time, potentially ever.
- Twenty percent of the men’s field has stood on the CrossFit Games podium before in their career.
On one hand, this will make the CrossFit Games incredibly fun to watch. On the other hand, picking the podium finishers is a challenge. Here’s how we think it’ll all shake out.
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The Favorites
Breaking down the field, there are seven men who can be considered favorites for the podium.
Brent Fikowski
Over his career, Brent Fikowski has stood on the CrossFit games podium twice and has three fourth-place finishes, including 2023. So far, the events announced play nicely to Fikowski’s strengths.
- He won the “Run Swim Run” at the 2017 Games and finished fifth in the 5km run at last year’s games. As a taller athlete, he’ll have an advantage for all the step-ups in “Chad 1000X.”
If the rest of the workouts lean to the traditional CrossFit side of the spectrum, it could be another good week for “The Professor.”
Dallin Pepper
At 22 years old, Dallin Pepper is a rising star in CrossFit. While he is the only member of the favorites list without a podium finish as an individual, he has three Fittest Teen on Earth titles.
- Pepper finished fifth in 2023 during his sophomore appearance as an individual. This was a big jump from 19th in his rookie year.
As a developing athlete, Pepper could take another jump up the leaderboard this year.
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Jeffrey Adler
The Fittest Man on Earth is back to defend his title in 2024.
- From a historical perspective, the defending champion has only been dethroned twice in the last decade.
Adler is looking to keep it that way thanks to a win over Pepper and Roman Khrennikov at the North America East Semifinal earlier in the year.
Justin Medeiros
The two-time Fittest Man on Earth is looking for a bounce-back year after a disappointing 2023 campaign that saw him give up his title and finish 13th at the CrossFit Games.
- He quietly won the North America West Semifinal this year in typical Medeiros fashion by finishing all six events in eighth place or better with no event wins.
Consistency is a dangerous thing at the CrossFit Games and will serve him well in Fort Worth.
Patrick Vellner
Five-time CrossFit Games podium finisher Patrick Vellner is back for another year.
- While he may be the oldest competitor in the men’s field at 34, he shows no signs of slowing down.
After finishing in the runner-up spot at the Games last year, Vellner won the Rogue Invitational in October, which is the most competitive contest outside of the Games.
- Event 1 this year is a swim event, which Vellner has struggled with over the years. Will we see another one of his trademark comebacks in 2024?
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Ricky Garard
The last time we saw Ricky Garard at the CrossFit Games, he was in the white jersey for the first nine events before ultimately finishing third overall in 2022.
An unfortunate mountain bike accident kept Garard out of the 2023 CrossFit Games. Still, the 30-year-old Australian showed the world he is ready to go with a fifth-place finish at the Rogue Invitational in October and his second consecutive Wodapalooza title in January.
- With the win in a highly competitive Oceania Semifinal, Garard is looking in top form for the CrossFit Games.
Roman Khrennikov
At one point at the 2023 CrossFit Games, Roman Khrennikov held a 100-point lead over runner-up Chandler Smith.
At times last year, Khrennikov looked dominant before Adler chipped away at his lead and took the leader’s jersey away on Sunday morning.
- Ultimately, though, a broken foot took away Khrennikov’s chances at the title last year.
Khrennikov didn’t miss a beat in the off-season, handily winning the Dubai Fitness Championship in December.
At Semifinals this year, Khrennikov showed he is ready for another battle at the games with a third-place finish at the Syndicate Crown, six points behind Adler and three points behind Dallin Pepper.
Podium Picks
There’s a lot to choose from when it comes to the podium, and our picks have changed by the day.
For the 2024 CrossFit Games, our podium picks are:
- Jeffrey Adler
- Ricky Garard
- Patrick Vellner
Dark Horses
The definition of “dark horse” sometimes leads to some contention. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary describes a “dark horse” as a “little-known contender” or a contestant who is “unlikely to succeed.”
None of these four men has the biggest name in the sport of fitness, but they are certainly not “little known.” And while unlikely, each of them has a shot at the podium if the cards fall in their favor in Fort Worth this year.
Björgvin Karl Guðmundsson
If there’s one thing we’ve learned following CrossFit, it’s to never underestimate Björgvin Karl Guðmundsson.
- Entering his 11th consecutive CrossFit Games, Guðmundsson is looking to rebound from his 11th-place finish in 2023, his worst finish at the Games since his rookie season in 2014.
Throughout his career, Guðmundsson has had two podium finishes at the Games and five top-five finishes, so the top of the leaderboard is not foreign territory for Iceland’s perennial Fittest Man.
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Bayley Martin
At the Torian Pro this year, many expected the top spot to be a two-way battle between Ricky Garard and Jay Crouch.
Bayley Martin spoiled that party by taking the overall lead mid-way through the Semifinal and finishing second behind Garard.
- At only 24 years old, expect Martin to build off of an impressive 2023 rookie season where he finished 12th.
Lazar Đukić
The 28-year-old Serbian has shown he is one of the best CrossFitters in the world.
Đukić has won the European Semifinal in back-to-back seasons and won the Lowlands Throwdown Semifinal in 2022. At the Games, he has finished in the top 10 in all three of his trips but hasn’t climbed the leaderboard.
- Đukić finished ninth in 2021, eighth in 2022, and ninth in 2023
Can 2024 be the year that he puts it all together at the Games?
Sam Kwant
The last four seasons have been a bit of a roller coaster ride for Sam Kwant.
After surprising everyone to qualify for the Games finals at the Ranch in 2020, where he ultimately finished second overall, Kwant unexpectedly missed the games in 2021.
- In 2022, he bounced back to fourth and followed it up with a 15th-place finish in 2023.
Will 2024 be another up year for Kwant? He started the year off on the right foot, finishing third at Wodapalooza in January.
The Bottom Line
You could make a case for each of the favorites, and it would be difficult to argue against any of them. Who ends up on the podium at the Games could come down to what the programming ends up being and a little bit of luck.
As a fan of the sport, I am not so patiently waiting for the Games to kick off in a few days.
Better get your popcorn ready; it’s going to be a show.
More 2024 CrossFit Games Coverage
- Will Any CrossFit Games Rookies Finish in the Top 10 in 2024?
- 5 CrossFit Games Storylines You Should Pay Attention To
- Will One of These 3 Veteran Women Finally Get to the CrossFit Games Podium This Summer?
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