It was as close as you could get.
Last updated on August 1st, 2025
Just .35 seconds separated Ricky Garard and Justin Medeiros in “IE02: All Crossed Up,” which included a 20-wall-walk buy-in, followed by heavy dumbbell shoulder-to-overheads, double-under cross-overs, and toes-to-bar.
The Australian athlete took the event win just tenths of a second ahead of the two-time Fittest Man on Earth, who also happened to be in the previous heat.
- The quick chipper-style workout was a refreshing change after a much longer endurance test just a few hours earlier.
Medeiros’ pace gradually picked up as the event went on. He stumbled during the first set of the double-under cross-overs but managed to regain his momentum during the first set of toes-to-bar. He settled in and finished the workout with focus and intensity.
Garard came out fast with a quick cycle speed on the dumbbell and double-under cross-overs, fending off Jay Crouch, Dallin Pepper, and Jayson Hopper.
- “The first set of dumbbells is the hardest one. But I was happy to get the 10 out. Once I did that, I knew I was on it. Let’s go,” Garard said during the post-event interview.
Hopper actually led the first half of the workout, but fell off his pace, opening the door to Garard and Crouch.
Garard finished in 6:06.46, while Medeiros finished in 6:06.81. Both athletes are trying to secure a spot on the podium this year, following disappointing finishes at the 2024 CrossFit Games.
The men’s field is shaping up to be a very close race even on Day 1 as athletes attempt to position themselves well heading into the final workout.
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On the women’s side, Danielle Brandon was first to complete the wall walks, followed closely by current overall leader Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr.
- Brandon was quick to pick up the dumbbell first for her 10 shoulder-to-overhead reps, which she moved with ease and at a cycle speed unmatched by Toomey-Orr.
Both athletes got to their ropes simultaneously, but it was Toomey-Orr’s unbroken first set of toes-to-bar that kept her slightly ahead.
Brandon continued to push the seven-time champ – both athletes broke their second set of toes-to-bar, but it would be Toomey-Orr to the final dumbbell shoulder-to-overhead first and hold off her challenger by a handful of reps.
- “We train, when we decide to come to the CrossFit Games, knowing what we’re signing up for, and my team has definitely helped me leave no stones up tonight,” Toomey-Orr said in her post-event interview.
Toomey-Orr finished the workout in 6:23, and Brandon finished with a time of 6:28.
And again, not far behind was Aimee Cringle.
She finished in third place with a time of 6:38, just 10 seconds slower than Brandon. Cringle, who hails from the Isle of Man, a 2024 CrossFit Games rookie, is back for a second year and already leaving her mark.
One last thing: The Games weekend is most definitely a marathon, not a sprint. A lot can happen between now and Sunday. We don’t know all of the workouts yet, and once those are released, it could change the points race for several athletes.
2025 CrossFit Games Event 2 Results — Top 5 Men
| Place | Name | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ricky Garard | 06:06.46 |
| 2 | Justin Medeiros | 06:06.81 |
| 3 | Jay Crouch | 06:15.59 |
| 4 | Jayson Hopper | 06:33.43 |
| 5 | Harry Lightfoot | 06:44.56 |
2025 CrossFit Games Event 2 Results — Top 5 Women
| Place | Name | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tia-Clair Toomey | 06:23.98 |
| 2 | Danielle Brandon | 06:28.63 |
| 3 | Aimee Cringle | 06:38.19 |
| 4 | Lucy McGonigle | 07:00.19 |
| 5 | Lydia Fish | 07:06.76 |
Featured image: Scott Freymond
