One of CrossFit’s founding principles is that it’s measurable and repeatable, and the Games are no exception.
And there’s no better way to showcase this than through repeat workouts, which have long been a part of the sport and are a great way for the community to see just how much fitter the athletes are becoming year after year.
- Fans had the chance to see this improvement during “IE5: 1RM Back Squat” on Saturday at the 2025 CrossFit Games in Albany, NY.
Remind Me: This was the fourth time we’ve seen a one-rep max back squat at the CrossFit Games, but it’s the first time it was a standalone event, rather than part of the “CrossFit Total” (a combined total of a back squat, deadlift, and shoulder press).
- The “CrossFit Total” was first tested at the inaugural Games in 2007, then again in 2018, and once more at the 2020 Games.
How the 2025 CrossFit Games Back Squat Compared to the Past
The Men
Colten Mertens and Nick Mathew were in a class of their own on “IE5: 1RM Back Squat,” squatting 570 pounds and 555 pounds, respectively, to secure the top two positions.
- Five other athletes made it into the 500-pound club: Jack Rozema (515 pounds), Austin Hatfield (515 pounds), Justin Medeiros (505 pounds), Jayson Hopper (500 pounds), and Bronislaw Olenkowicz (500 pounds).
In comparison, not a single man hit a 500-pound back squat in 2020.
The heaviest lift was 492 pounds by Mat Fraser. Two years earlier, in 2018, Scott Panchik was the only man to hit 500 pounds.
- Worth noting: That year, only five athletes in each division completed the CrossFit Total due to the pandemic, and only five men and five women traveled to Aromas, CA, for the CrossFit Games Final.
Arguably as noteworthy as the top-end lifts is how far the field as a whole has come since 2018.
- In 2018, only 12 men, or 30% of the field, hit at least a 450-pound back squat. On Saturday, 26 out of the 30 men (86%) achieved the same.
The Women
Mirjam von Rohr won the event “IE5: 1RM Back Squat,” lifting 360 pounds, while Anikha Greer and Jennifer Muir tied for second with 355 pounds.
- For comparison, the top three lifts on Saturday were 35 and 30 pounds heavier than the best back squats at both the 2018 and 2020 Games.
Furthermore, 70 percent of women in the field lifted at least 300 pounds on Saturday, compared to just 53 percent in 2018.
Comparing Individual Performances
On an individual level, six athletes competing in Albany competed at the Games in either 2020 or 2018, or both, and each one tied or improved their back squat lift from previous years.
Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr
- 2025: 335 pounds
- 2020: 335 pounds
- 2018: 330 pounds
Brooke Wells:
- 2025: 330 pounds
- 2020: 315 pounds
- 2018: 315 pounds
Haley Adams
- 2025: 265 pounds
- 2020: 260 pounds
Maddie Sturt
- 2025: 325 pounds
- 2018: 285 pounds
Justin Medeiros
- 2025: 505 pounds
- 2020: 480 pounds
Jeff Adler
- 2025: 470 pounds
- 2020: 470 pounds
The Bottom Line
A decade ago, a 275-pound back squat for a female CrossFit athlete and 450 pounds for men would have been competitive at any CrossFit event.
Not anymore.
Today, as a female athlete, if you don’t have a 300-plus back squat or if you aren’t approaching the 500-pound mark as a male competitor, you simply won’t be able to compete with the top athletes in the world.
What’s even more impressive is that we’re now 19 years into CrossFit Games competitions, and the top athletes in the world still don’t seem to have reached a collective plateau yet.
The question is, where does their potential end?
Featured image: Scott Freymond
