“The Crown,” The Progrm’s highly exclusive annual teen competition, just wrapped up after its fourth run at the Nike Castle in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
A select handful of teen athletes from around the globe threw down. The event has evolved over the years, with the 2025 iteration proving to be unique.
Remind Me
Last fall, we spoke with John Singleton, The Progrm’s founder and event organizer, about the upcoming season.
- He shared with us that The Crown is a passion project, and he and his team hope to develop it while ensuring its sustainability.
The event has become a highly sought-after opportunity for elite teen athletes — an invitational competition, a camp, and a core-memory-making experience all rolled into one weekend. Only five boys and five girls are selected to participate. While Singleton and his team strive to deliver a world-class competition, he also aims to create an atmosphere where they can bond, support one another, and build lasting relationships.
Singleton is thankful for the continuous support Nike has provided for the competition each year.
- “We have a close relationship with Nike with that event, and we’re looking to expand on that as we move into the next year. They share the same vision regarding the next generation,” Singleton told Morning Chalk Up.
The vision is that teenage athletes need support and opportunities to grow and improve together. Teen burnout is prevalent in many sports, and CrossFit is no exception. Due to the smaller scale of CrossFit, it is rare for teens to have the chance to train with peers their own age. Each year, the event’s organization and planning emphasize strategies to build connections.
- “[It] was really important to us [that] these guys leave with friendships; we create the environment and step back so they can get on,” Singleton told us in an interview last year. “They are under so much pressure. It’s important that they have connections with kids the same age, with the same experiences.”
The sentiment continues to ring true.
The 2025 Event
Before the competition even began this year, athletes took part in a scavenger hunt and trivia game, culminating in their dive into a pool to retrieve a waterproof box of swag, including shoes, gear, and a key to their locker containing even more gifts from Nike.
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The workouts included swimming, heavy lifting, gymnastics, and trail running. In one event, athletes were required to fill wheelbarrows and buckets with sand and transport them from point A to point B — a challenge perfectly suited for the Mallorquin beach.
On the fourth and final day, athletes faced a climbing wall, a challenge that no CrossFit competitor has probably encountered in competition.
Singleton said that some milestones were reached this year, one of which is the inclusion of the local community through the Erg Series.
Open to anyone wishing to register, the Erg Series was a competition for teams of two, where participants faced workouts using the Ski Erg, Concept2 Rower, and Assault Bike. The workouts reflected those completed by The Crown participants.
Community members participated alongside elite athletes like Ella Wunger, Adrian Mundwiler, and Jacqueline Dahlstrom.
This community component was significant to Singleton because he believed it was absent from earlier versions of the event.
- “The Crown has always been this isolated group that travels around the island and has these cool experiences. But this year, we managed to have the focal event on Saturday at the Palma Sport and Tennis Club. Everyone who loves fitness on the island came to the tennis club, worked out with the athletes, and they, in essence, did the same workout on the floor. So it made it a much more integrated experience,” Singleton says.
It was also crucial that the community event remained inclusive and accessible to athletes of all abilities.
- “The big thing was we have an event that is literally open to anyone – no running, no heavy weights, no complex movements, and that’s where we thought, ‘Ok, machines are the perfect way to do this.’ We had fathers and sons competing on a team, people who don’t even really work out but just signed up with their friends. I think it motivated a lot of people,” Singleton said.
King and Queen
Ole Bosman from the Netherlands and Tuva Bjerkeli from Norway were this year’s champions among the 10 teenagers who competed in Mallorca.
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Both Bosman and Bjerkeli competed in the 16-17 division at the Teenage CrossFit Games in 2024, with Bosman finishing in 18th place and Bjerkeli taking 10th place.
In December, they participated in the IF3 Super Worlds in Budapest, Hungary, where they won in the 17-18 division.
- “It’s always so great being able to see another generation coming through. They’re obviously so talented; very young; they bring a fresh perspective as well,” Singleton said.
What’s Next?
While Singleton and the team are still reflecting on this year’s event, plans are already underway for 2026. The local government’s recognition of this year’s event has bolstered The Progrm’s efforts. The event was awarded the Trophy of Fitness of Palma, which is significant because it represents an outside organization acknowledging CrossFit and functional fitness as a sport.
Similar to this year, another Crown Series will take place, where young athletes compete at established events. In 2025, the Crown Series was held at the Madrid Championship and the Iberian Throwdown. In 2026, three competitions are scheduled: the first will occur from April 25-27 at Wodland Fest, the second will be held in Göteborg, Sweden, from August 15-17, and details regarding the third will be announced soon.
The series will be distinct from the invitation-only final event held in Mallorca, which is currently set for Easter weekend in 2026.
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Featured image: Lydia Stadtheower
