In the last weekend of Quarterfinals, age-group athletes competed for a chance to advance to the next stage in the CrossFit Games season — the Age-Group Semifinal, the final stop before the 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games.
Athletes from 14 years old to over 70 completed five workouts over the course of three days in hopes of earning a spot.
It was a pleasant surprise to see the CrossFit Total represented in the Age-Group Quarterfinal this year. The workout has been programmed for the CrossFit Games on three separate occasions: 2007, 2018, and 2020. A total of 21 athletes broke Royce Dunne's 1,255-lb record from the 2018 CrossFit Games. Thirteen men from the 35-39 division, seven men from the 40-45 division, and one man — Andrea Chilà — from the 45-49 division outlifted Dunne.
From breaking personal records and former Games records to making history, the age-group athletes put up a lot of impressive performances over the weekend. Here are some of the highlights from the 2022 Age-Group Quarterfinal.
Pia Gund during Workout 3 | Photo by @achievedmedia
The Workouts
Workout 1
3 rounds for time of:
20 toes-to-bars
20 alternating dumbbell snatches
Workout 2
For time:
50 overhead squats
40 bar-facing burpees
40 back-rack walking lunges
30 bar-facing burpees
30 cleans
20 bar-facing burpees
20 weighted box step-ups
10 muscle-ups
Workout 3:
As many rounds as possible in 10 minutes of:
1 rope climb
2 shuttle runs
2 rope climbs
4 shuttle runs
3 rope climbs
6 shuttle runs
4 rope climbs
8 shuttle runs
Etc.
Workout 4: The CrossFit Total
For total load:
1 back squat
1 press
1 deadlift
Workout 5:
3 rounds for time of:
50-calorie row
15 handstand push-ups
50 double-unders
Highlights by Division
Teens 14-15
Girls
- Lucy McGonigle
- Rylee Beebe
- Reese Littlewood
- Morgan Hickson
- Lili-Gabrielle Deroulede
15-year-old Lucy McGonigle swept three of the five workouts and took an impressive second in the other two. The teen finished the 2021 NOBULL CrossFit Games in second place in the Girls 14-15 division, just behind Olivia Kerstetter.
Rounding out the top five, Rylee Beebe, Morgan Hickson, and Lili-Gabrielle Deroulede are all former 2021 CrossFit Games teen athletes. For third-place finisher Reese Littlewood, the Age-Group Online Qualifier is the furthest stage she has faced thus far. This will be her first time advancing to a higher level of competition.
Lili-Gabrielle Deroulede at the 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games | Photo by Meg Ellery
Boys
- Rj Mestre
- Kyle Muckleroy
- Ka'eo Subiono
- Josh Strange
- Fernando Tardon
With a strong lead over the Boys 14-15 division, 15-year-old Rj Mestre is on the road to another Games appearance. In his first year of eligibility for the CrossFit Games, Mestre took eighth in the Open and third in the AGOQ before going on to take fifth at the 2021 Games.
Sitting in second place is 15-year-old Kyle Muckleroy, who competed in the Open for the first time this year. Off to a good start, Muckleroy ranked eighth worldwide in the 2022 Open and is already paving the way for a possible Games appearance in his first year.
RJ Mestre at the 2021 NOBULL CrossFit Games | Photo by Meg Ellery
Teens 15-17
Girls
- Olivia Kerstetter
- Sophia Shaft
- Trista Smith
- Hayleigh Kanthack
- Jenna Michelotti
It is no surprise to see Olivia Kerstetter and Sophia Shaft sitting atop the leaderboard in first and second place, respectively.
Kerstetter already competed in the Individual Quarterfinal a few weeks ago, finishing in 19th worldwide. But she has decided to turn down her invitation to compete as an individual this year.
"As cool as it would be to compete as an individual this young, I've had to put my pride aside and realize that I have the rest of my life to compete as an individual, so I need to make the smart (and safe) decision for now so I don't regret it later," Kerstetter said on her Instagram.
As expected, Kerstetter took first in Workout 4, the CrossFit Total, lifting a total weight of 835 lb.
Second-place finisher Sophia Shaft also dominated that workout, lifting a total of 812 lb, good for second place in the workout.
Rounding out the top three is Trista Smith, another teen who competed in the Individual Quarterfinal, qualified for Semifinals, and turned down her invitation to ride out the teen division a little longer.
Boys
- Johan Roberts
- Caleb McClure
- Aaron Merritt
- Isaiah Weber
- Elijah Subiono
First-place finisher Johan Roberts has been competing in the Open in the teen division since 2019. This year was the first year he advanced past the Open, and the 17-year-old from New Zealand took the win in the AGQ. Roberts is a junior weightlifter, so it may be unsurprising that he won the CrossFit Total, lifting a total of 1,102 lb.
2021 CrossFit Games teen Caleb McClure was neck-and-neck with Roberts for the first-place position, ultimately finishing the Quarterfinal in second. He finished seventh at the 2021 Games and is on the right track to receiving another invitation.
Notable 2021 CrossFit Games teens are sitting a bit lower than expected on the leaderboard at the close of competition. Elijah Subiono sits in fifth, Brazil's Gustavo Pusch is in eighth, and the 2021 Fittest 16-17 Boy on Earth, Ty Jenkins, is in 10th.
Masters 35-39
Women
- Aneta Tucker
- Karla Wolford
- Chyna Cho
- Christelle El Debs
- Anita Pravatti
Czech Republic's Aneta Tucker finished the Age-Group Quarterfinal with a strong lead over her competitors. Like several other age-group athletes, Tucker also decided to turn down a Semifinals invite in the individual division. Tucker finished third in the Women's 35-39 division at the 2021 CrossFit Games and already appears to be on her way to another podium this year.
Three former Games individual athletes sit in the top 10: five-time individual Games athlete Chyna Cho in third, two-time individual Games athlete Emilia Leppänen tied for seventh, and two-time individual Games athlete Kelley Jackson is in 10th.
Aneta Tucker at the 2021 NOBULL CrossFit Games | Photo by Duke Loren
Men
- Sam Dancer
- Bryan Wong
- Josh Marunde
- Paul Tremblay
- Julian Serna
Three-time Games athlete Sam Dancer couldn't quite get to the first-place position on the leaderboard for the first three workouts. But after lifting a total of 1,347 lb in the CrossFit Total — good for third — he finally secured the lead. Dancer held tight to his first-place lead in Workout 5, finishing in an impressive time of 8:26.
Sitting in third is the drummer from the rock band Pop Evil. Josh Marunde has many achievements listed in his Instagram bio, from CrossFit athlete to traveling drummer to UltraRunner.
Five-time CrossFit Games favorite Dan Bailey currently sits right outside the cutline for a Semifinals invitation. His 39th-place finish may not grant him a return ticket to the Games this year.
Sam Dancer at the 2018 CrossFit Games West Regional | Photo by Daniel A. Anderson
Masters 40-44
Women
- Kelly Marshall
- Kelly Friel
- Jenn Ryan
- Deanna Posey
- Rebecca Voight Miller
Three British women sit in the top 10 after the close of competition: Kelly Marshall in first, Kelly Friel in second, and Samantha Briggs in sixth.
Both Briggs and Friel are in the same boat heading into Semifinals. Will they accept their invitations to the Individual Semifinals or the Age-Group Semifinal?
Briggs received the final backfill spot to compete at the Strength in Depth Semifinal, an invitation that seemed out of reach at the close of the Individual Quarterfinal. But, the eight-time Games athlete is back on track for her last run at the CrossFit Games.
Jenn Ryan received an invite to the Granite Games and will receive an invitation to the Age-Group Semifinal, but she is also a potential backup for the Invictus Team, who finished second worldwide in the Team Quarterfinal. Ryan will have a hard decision to make come May.
Second-place finisher Friel has been dominating the Women 40-44 division since her CrossFit Games debut in 2018. After coming off a strong 2021 season, becoming the Fittest 40-44 Women on Earth, Friel suffered a severely sprained ankle during the 2022 Open and is still on the road to a full recovery.
Kelly Friel at the 2021 NOBULL CrossFit Games | Photo by Charlotte Foerschler
Men
- Justin King
- Michael Laverriere
- Alexandre Jolivet
- Tony Kurz
- Josh Petlowany
First-place finisher Justin King is new to the 40-44 division this year. He has competed at the CrossFit Games before in the 35-39 division in 2017 and 2018.
Two-time 35-39 division Games athlete Michael Laverriere has his eyes set on a CrossFit Games ticket, and he is doing everything right. The Canadian qualified for the 2021 CrossFit Games through the Age-Group Online Qualifier but was unable to compete at the Games. This year, he is on his way to making his third appearance at the Games, now in the 40-44 division.
Alexandre Jolivet really knows consistency. The four-time Games athlete finished the 2021 AGOQ in third, the 2021 CrossFit Games in third, and now the 2022 Age-Group Quarterfinal in third.
Justin King at the 2018 CrossFit Games South Regionals | Photo by Scott Wallace
Masters 45-49
Women
- Ali Crawford
- Marina Novelli
- Merituuli Kallio
- Stephanie China
- Michelle Suozzi
Finishing out Day 2 in second place, two-time Games athlete Ali Crawford jumped to first after her sixth-place finish in Workout 5. Crawford had a great season last year, finishing the 2021 CrossFit Games in second in the 45-49 division.
Italy's Marina Novelli is competing in the 45-49 division for the first time this year. She is a two-time Games athlete in the 40-44 division (2017 and 2018).
Four-time CrossFit Games athlete and CrossFit OG Annie Sakamoto was doing fairly well until the CrossFit Total, where she dropped to 175th in the workout. But, finishing Workout 5 in 22nd, Sakamoto is still within a qualifying position, sitting in 20th.
Men
- Vlad Liashkevich
- Mike Kern
- Justin LaSala
- Yurii Hanson
- Jason Grubb
Vlad Liashkevich entered this season hungry for a ticket to the Games. He narrowly missed the 2021 CrossFit Games by only two spots during the Age-Group Online Qualifier last year. Heading into a new age division this year, Liashkevich has come out victorious. He will be an athlete to watch heading into Semifinals.
Two-time Men 40-44 division defending champion Jason Grubb finished the Quarterfinal in fifth on the leaderboard. Last year, he finished the Age-Group Online Qualifier in fourth and went on to take first at the Games. Will he continue his streak this year?
On the other end of the spectrum, 49-year-old Giulio Silvino is enjoying his last year in the 45-49 division before entering another age bracket. But, he is not letting the younger athletes take over. The Italian finished in sixth place after the close of the weekend.
Jason Grubb at the 2021 NOBULL CrossFit Games | Photo by Charlotte Foerschler
Masters 50-54
Women
- Cheryl Brost
- Nathalie Connors
- Tea Gebbie
- Kim Purdy
- Marcie Wells
Cheryl Brost is back. After missing out on the 2021 Age-Group Online Qualifier due to an injury, Brost has returned in full force, taking first place at the close of the competition. Brost has eight years of Games experience across four divisions under her belt: Individual, Women 40-44, Women 45-49, and now Women 50-54. Finishing the Age-Group Quarterfinal with just 20 points, Brost currently holds the second-lowest point total for all masters age groups.
50-year-old Tea Gebbie is just entering another age group and may have a chance to make her debut at the CrossFit Games. She just missed the 2021 CrossFit Games by six spots at the Age-Group Online Qualifier and is already showing improvement with her second-place finish in the 2022 AGQ.
Cheryl Brost at the 2012 CrossFit Games | Photo by Colleen Baz
Men
- Shaun O'Neill
- Clint Paddock
- Kelly Doran
- Darius Boockholdt
- Bob Ruano
In 2021, New Zealand's Shaun O'Neill competed in both the Age-Group Online Qualifier and Individual Quarterfinal in hopes of grasping a ticket to the CrossFit Games. Although his season ended at that stage, he is starting strong this year. If O'Neill does well at Semifinals, he may be competing at his first CrossFit Games in 2022.
Masters OG Jeff Tincher had a bit of a rough finish in the final two workouts, finishing Workout 4 in 113th and Workout 5 in 78th, which bumped him down to 18th overall. Tincher is still well above the cutline but will need to focus in Semifinals if he hopes to return to the Games for a fourth time.
Jeff Tincher at the 2014 CrossFit Games | Photo by Thomas Campitelli
Masters 55-59
Women
- Leigh Coates
- Shanna Bunce
- Lasara Magnani
- Cici Fougere
- Laurie Meschishnick
The top 10 is filled with former Games athletes, but two women are on the right track to making their CrossFit Games debut this year in the masters division. Leigh Coates, 54, and Amy Jo DiMeglio, 55, sit in first and seventh on the leaderboard, respectively.
Second-place finisher Shanna Bunce never considered herself an athlete until she found CrossFit in 2013. She signed up for her first Open in 2015 and realized she wanted to make it to the CrossFit Games one day. And 2021 was her year. Bunce took fifth in the Women 55-59 division at the 2021 CrossFit Games and is looking for another ticket to the Games this year. She took second in Workout 1 and first in Workout 3.
One of the all-time top masters athletes, Laurie Meschishnick, finished out the weekend in fifth place. The Canadian has been to the CrossFit Games as a masters athlete eight times, winning her division in 2019 and 2021 and standing on the podium five times. Meschishnick won the Age-Group Online Qualifier last year, and she is still sitting in an impressive position on the leaderboard heading into Semifinals.
Men
- Jeff Ernseberger
- Mike Egan
- Bill Cileo
- Leonardo Wernersbach Lima
- Mark Sewell
Two-time CrossFit Games masters athlete Leonardo Wernersbach Lima from Brazil just moved up into the Men 55-59 division and took fourth in his division.
"Sailing Dutchman" Vincent Diephuis swept the leaderboard for the first three workouts but dropped to 10th place after Day 2 after his 145th-place finish in the CrossFit Total. The 56-year-old finished the weekend in seventh place, a good start in defending his championship title.
Vincent Diephuis at the 2021 NOBULL CrossFit Games | Photo by flsportsguy photography
Masters 60-64
Women
- Debbie Downing
- Patricia McGill
- Bianca Williams
- Yvonne Howard
- Lynne Knapman
Five-time CrossFit Games masters athlete Debbie Downing missed the 2021 CrossFit Games by two positions and is ready to return to the big stage this season. She finished within the top 10 in four of the five workouts, only falling to 22nd in Workout 4.
Mary Beth Prodromides is one of CrossFit’s most seasoned masters athletes, competing in eight CrossFit Games. She was the first woman to ever earn four masters championship titles. A shoulder and knee injury took her out of the 2020 and 2021 Games seasons, but she has returned for the 2022 season. Prodromides finished out the weekend in 20th overall, well within the cutline for a Semifinals invitation.
One very familiar name missing from the leaderboard is five-time masters champion Susan Clarke, who decided to hang up her competition shoes and let someone else take the championship title this year.
Mary Beth Prodromides at the 2018 CrossFit Games | Photo by Tai Randall
Men
- Tom Fameree
- Shannon Aiken
- Christian Galy
- Tony Turski
- Greg Beams
First-place finisher Tom Fameree is a two-time CrossFit Games masters athlete in the 55-59 division. Turning 60 this year, he has bumped up to another age group and is starting the season strong. Fameree's best finish was in Workouts 2 and 3, finishing in second place.
All athletes in the top five but one have past CrossFit Games experience. Christian Galy and Shannon Aiken are two-time Games athletes and Tony Turski three.
Sitting in fifth place is Greg Beams, who has advanced as far as the Age-Group Online Qualifier in 2021. If he does well in Semifinals, he may be heading to the Games for the first time.
Christian Galy at the 2021 NOBULL CrossFit Games | Photo by flsportsguy photography
Masters 65+
Women
- Marcia Yager
- Patricia Failla
- Terry Carey
- Pia Gund
- Elizabeth Cole
Two-time Games athlete in the Women's 60+ division (2017 and 2018) proudly holds tight to the first-place position on the leaderboard after the close of the 2022 Age-Group Quarterfinal.
Patricia Failla has been competing as a masters athlete since 2013, qualifying for the CrossFit Games every year except for 2019. She was the Fittest 60+ Woman on Earth in 2017 and has had three podium finishes. Failla is new to the 65+ division this year and already starting strong with a first-place finish in the Open and a second-place finish in the AGQ.
Three impressive women in their 70s are receiving a ticket to the Semifinals this year: 72-year-old Joke Dikhoff in 14th, 70-year-old Pam Salazar in 15th, and 70-year-old Mary Schwing in 18th place at the close of the competition.
Mary Schwing at the 2018 CrossFit Games
Men
- Tom Muhlbeier
- Cal Cherrington
- John Smith
- Ken Ogden
- John Mariotti
The younger 65-year-olds in the division dominated the top 5. Three-time Games masters athlete Tom Muhlbeier sits in first, three-time masters athlete Cal Cherrington in second, 2018 masters athlete John Smith in third, and three-time masters athlete John Mariotti in fifth.
Just one 70-year-old is moving on to Semifinals in the men's division. Clarke Holland, who currently sits in 24th, is a seven-time Games masters athlete, all within 60+ age groups.
Tom Muhlbeier at the 2021 NOBULL CrossFit Games | Photo by Meg Ellery
The top 30 athletes from each age group will be invited to compete at the online Age-Group Semifinal, where the top 10 athletes from each age group will move on to the finals to battle for the title of Fittest on Earth.
Scores have been finalized and this article has been updated to reflect changes in the Leaderboard.