The reigning six-time Fittest Woman on Earth®, Tia-Clair Toomey, will pull a Rich Froning impression and compete in the Team division. On Nov. 18-20, 2022, Toomey will compete on a team at the 2022 Down Under Championship — a CrossFit-licensed contest — at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong, Australia.
Which athletes will be on Toomey’s team remains a mystery at the time of this article’s publication. The competition’s Instagram page confirmed Toomey’s participation at the 2022 Down Under Championship on Aug. 22, 2022:
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After winning her sixth consecutive CrossFit Games title in 2022 in Madison, WI, Toomey was asked if she planned on returning in 2023 to go for a seventh title as speculation about her possible retirement loomed. The 29-year-old did not answer the question directly, leaving the door open for every possibility — from full retirement to a seventh Games title defense to a shift to the Team division.
I CANNOT WAIT TO BE THERE.
Moving from the top of the Individual division to the Team division is far from uncommon. Four-time Fittest Man on Earth® Rich Froning led team CrossFit Mayhem Freedom to 10 Team division championships at the Games since leaving the Individual division. Two-time Fittest Woman on Earth®, Annie Thorisdottir, also ventured into the Team division in 2022 as a member of Team Reykjavík, which finished fourth overall at the 2022 CrossFit Games.
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[Related: Rebecca Fuselier Shares How She Felt During Her Iconic Moment in “The Capitol” Event at the 2022 CrossFit Games]
The 2022 Down Under Championship’s Elite Team division will consist of 24 teams comprised of three female athletes. Likewise, there will be 24 teams, each comprised of three male athletes. We’ll see if Toomey’s move into the Team division at the 2022 Down Under Championship is a one-off endeavor or a preview of what’s to come for the all-time winningest Individual CrossFitter.
Featured image: @downunderchampionship