Reps Ahead Pro 3 “Redemption” Results: Sydney Wells, James Sprague, and Kyra Milligan Deliver Knockouts
On Saturday, June 29, redemption was earned. And knockouts were delivered.
The Reps Ahead Pro 3 Showcase — the third Reps Ahead event with professional athletes — went down in Thornton, Colorado.
The energy inside MBS CrossFit Thornton was electric, and the elites showcased their fitness, grit, and sportsmanship in front of a packed gym.
The results:
- Malachi Bennett defeated Jake Marconi at 40 seconds into the second round.
- Kyra Milligan defeated Kelly Stone at 1:49 in round two.
- James Sprague defeated Nick Mathew at 1:36 in round two.
- Sydney Wells defeated Paige Powers at 2:37 in the first round.
Remind me: The Reps Ahead format is interval-based, pitting one athlete against another as they strive to reach a designated number of reps ahead of their opponent.
For this event, athletes tackled a sequence of:
- 12 box jump-overs, 24/20 inches
- 6 thrusters, 155/105 pounds
- 6 chest-to-bar pull-ups
The bouts were set to have a maximum of five rounds (three minutes of work and one minute of rest) or until an athlete reached a 14-rep lead.
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Unlike the Pro 2 event, where each match went the distance, none of the head-to-head bouts on Saturday lasted longer than two rounds.
The pros had the chance to watch local athletes attack the workout first in the community matches, gaining valuable insight before taking center stage.
This one was going to get nasty in a hurry.
The Pro Undercard
Malachi Bennett vs. Jake Marconi
Marconi started with a blistering pace, propelling him to a six-rep lead in the first round. But this wasn’t Bennett’s first rodeo, and he stayed within striking distance.
- “I knew there wasn’t going to be a knockout in the first round. Unless I let myself get knocked out,” Bennett said in an interview with the Morning Chalk Up.
Once Marconi took a break on the thrusters, the door was opened. Bennett seized the moment and closed the door behind him early in round two.
When we asked Marconi if he had any regrets, he responded without hesitation.
- “No… I figured when you’re fighting somebody bigger than you, you’ve gotta take some swings. Those were haymakers,” he said.
The Pro Main Card
Kyra Milligan vs. Kelly Stone
The two evenly matched athletes battled early, but Milligan’s Games training carried her to victory.
There was a moment when she wanted to throw in the towel, but she fought through. In the post-event interview with Brian Friend and Bella Martin, she described her experience and what she learned.
- “Even if it hurts and I want to quit, I can’t. Because you don’t know how everyone else is feeling,” Milligan said.
Friend asked Milligan if she thought about the win bonus when she wanted to quit.
- “Absolutely. It’s going to help pay for my travel to the Games,” Milligan quipped.
James Sprague vs. Nick Mathew
Sprague said the loss to Dallin Pepper at Pro 2 hurt. This time around, he was ready for a fight.
The youngster improved his Reps Ahead record to 2-1 with a second-round knockout, and divulged his strategy after the match:
- “Be tough. And stay close to him. The moment I got ahead in the first round, I knew I had more in the tank. So I came out even hotter in the second,” Sprague told Morning Chalk Up.
Sprague is known as a “nice guy” in the sport.
When asked by Bella Martin how he flips the switch to killer mode, Sprague had an earnest response.
- “So many people look at me as the happy, nice guy without the fire. But the reality is that the fire is what fuels my kindness. I’m so passionate about this sport and love everyone in it…I have this positive attitude because I’m grateful for what I get to do,” he said.
Sydney Wells vs. Paige Powers
The last match of the day provided fans with the only first-round knockout on the main card.
In her post-win interview with Friend and Martin, Wells said she developed her strategy watching the previous matches where the aggressor came out on top.
- “I thought, I’m gonna do what they did. I’m just gonna go as hard as I can. But then after watching Jake (Marconi)…” Wells laughed, “I thought, maybe not.”
Marconi told Wells in the athlete area that he had tested it for her. “At least it was entertaining.”
So Wells decided to take a page from Milligan’s book.
- “Watching Kyra, she played it smart. She kept it steady then turned it on when she was ready,” Wells said.
That’s exactly what Wells did. She turned on the intensity early and ended the evening with a decisive first-round knockout.
The Bottom Line
Reps Ahead founder and coordinator Phil Thomas shared with Morning Chalk Up that this was the best event yet.
- The sequence allowed for dramatic finishes and forced athletes to decide early on how much they were willing to hurt.
Thomas estimated around 300 people showed up to pack the gym and watch incredible athletes go head-to-head. It was extra special holding the event in Colorado, where it all began.
Reps Ahead allows athletes to compete, earn money, and support a good cause.
- In the last month alone, fueled by the momentum of Reps Ahead, the New You Cares Foundation provided $67,000 worth of healthcare, fitness, and nutrition services to veterans.
Those interested can still donate to the non-profit by texting Renovo to 801801.
What’s next: There are many events and collaborations in the works, and exciting news is coming soon about the next throwdown.
Featured image: @chadmueller / Instagram