Tia-Clair Toomey has already made history at the 2020 Reebok CrossFit Games, and the competition isn’t even over yet. The three-time defending Champion won the first THREE events with convincing finishes on her way to four victories (over seven events) during Stage 1.
While the points for the Top 5 Women and Top 5 Men will reset before the Finals in Aromas, California, the Australian athlete is clearly the favorite heading into the final phase of competition.
We break down her dominant performance during Stage 1, along with who could potentially challenge her in California (and on which types of events). We also learn from multi-time CrossFit Games competitor Pip Malone, who gives us her thoughts on Tia’s training mindset and advantages.
[Related: The Insider’s Guide To Tia-Clair Toomey’s diet]
Tia-Clair Toomey at the 2020 CrossFit Games
In the video above, we cover:
00:00 Tia-Clair Toomey’s resume
00:36 Toomey’s Stage 1 performance
01:45 Tia-Clair Toomey’s strength on the barbell
02:45 Her worst finish during Stage 1
03:12 Does Tia have any weaknesses?
03:36 Pip Malone gives her take on Tia’s potential weaknesses
03:55 Tia’s mental and training advantages
04:55 The Top 5 women heading into Aromas
Tia-Clair Toomey’s Finals Performance
All eyes were on Toomey as many top athletes and experts predicted that will earn her fourth title in 2020.
Event One — 2007 Reloaded
For time:
- 1,500-meter row
Then five rounds of:
- 10 bar muscle-ups
- 7 shoulder-to-overheads — 145 pounds
Toomey matched the expectations in event one and then some. She set the pace early in the event, taking a lead that she never gave up. Haley Adams put up an impressive second place performance, and it was actually her pace that Toomey used to gauge how much rest to take towards the back half of the event.
What set Toomey’s pace apart from the field was her fluid muscle-ups that wasted no energy. Fatigue did catch up with her at the end as she had a failed rep on her final rep of the event, but had plenty of time to recover and close it out. A comfortable first place finish gives Toomey the early momentum on her way to a fourth CrossFit Games title.
Event Two — Corn Sack Sprint
For time:
320-meter hill sprint with a corn sack — 30 pounds
Toomey took the lead almost immediately and just maintained it for the entirety of the event. She scored her second event win of the Games with a time of 3:05.55. Toomey was perfect through the first two events, taking an early lead on her path the that fourth CrossFit Games title.
Event Three — CrossFit Total
For total load:
1-rep-max back squat
1-rep-max shoulder press
1-rep-max deadlift
The defending champion continued her unblemished Finals performance with her third consecutive win of the Games. It was a hard fought battle against Wells who compelled Toomey to post a massive deadlift on her final attempt to take the victory. Toomey’s 890 pound total was six more than Wells and racked up another 100 points. Here were Toomey’s lifts:
- Squat — 335 pounds
- Shoulder Press — 140 pounds
- Deadlift — 415 pounds
Event Four — Handstand Sprint
For time:
100-yard handstand walk
This is where Toomey’s Finals event win streak came to an end as it was apparent that the handstand walk was her weakness. She took last place with a time of 2:05.67, which was 44 seconds behind Wells’ winning time of 1.21.22.
Event Five — Ranch Loop
Run along 3-mile± course through varying terrain
Toomey lead the women’s division through the first half of the ranch loop, crossing what was initially believed to be the finish line first. However, in the punishing twist of a full second lap, Toomey dropped several places to finish the final event of day one in third place.
Event Six — Toes-To-Bar/Lunge
30-20-10 reps for time:
Toes-to-bar
Kettlebell lunge (yards) — 24-kilogram kettlebells
Toomey started out day two with a win using her speed in the kettlebell lunges. She beat was able to out pace Davíðsdóttir, who came in a close second.
Event Seven — Snatch Speed Triple
For time:
One snatch at each bar
- Quarterfinal:
Women 145-150-155 pounds
- Semifinal:
Women 160-165-170 pounds
- Final:
Women 175-180-185 pounds
This event went extremely fast and that was thanks to Toomey closing the door on the field so quickly. She blazed through all three snatches fast to pick up a second win on day two.
Event Eight — Bike Repeater
10 rounds:
440-meter bike sprint
One legless rope climb — 15 feet
Toomey was very fast in this event, particularly on the rope climbs, and never gave up the lead. She closed out the event with an official time of 14:37.51 and the win — her third in a row on day two.
Event Nine — Happy Star
Four rounds:
200- to 300-meter hill run
5-7-9-11 reps of:
- Burpee
- Thruster — 95-105-110-115 pounds
The difference maker for Toomey in this event was the pace she performed the thrusters in. She had to take less breaks during each set than her counterparts and that paid off with a win to complete the sweep on day two.
Event Ten — Swim ‘N’ Stuff
Four rounds, each for time:
- Air bike calories (10 | 15)
- 50-meter swim
- 10 GHD sit-ups
- 10 ball slams 40 pounds
- Rest
Begin a new round every four minutes.
*Rounds two and four performed in reverse
Toomey looked like an Olympic swimmer in the pool and soared past the competition. In most of the rounds she was not first in the pool, but she was always the first to complete the lap. That prowess in the water scored her another win on the weekend.
Event Eleven — Sprint Sled Sprint
- 100-yard sprint
- 100-yard sled push — 80-pound sled
- 100-yard sprint
This was a battle between Toomey and Brooke Wells, who was able to close the gap between her and Toomey with an impressive sled push. Toomey had a faster transition into the final sprint and was able to hold off Wells just enough to secure another win.
Event Twelve — Atalanta
While wearing a 14-pound vest:
- One mile run
- 100 handstand push-ups
- 200 pistol squats
- 300 pull-ups
- One mile run
Toomey performed this event in the lane next to Mat Fraser. They decided to run the event at the same pace the entire way through. That culminated in a win for Fraser, but just a third-place finish for Toomey behind Pearce and Davíðsdóttir. Toomey had clinched the championship prior to this event, so a third-place finish did not hinder her final standing.
Do you think anyone was going to challenge Tia at this year’s CrossFit Games Finals? Let us know in the comments below!
