2023 Games Significant Achievements: Age Group and Adaptive

The age-group and adaptive divisions were the opening acts for the Games this year and athletes in both divisions put on an inspiring show in the lead-up to the individual and team competitions. The age-group and adaptive competitions took to the coliseum for the final tests where athletes achieved career and legacy-making Games performances.

Adaptive Multi-Podium Finishers

Casey Acree (Men’s Upper Extremity) swept all eight tests this year to win gold for his third-straight Games championship. Acree is the best adaptive Games athlete to date.
Valerie Cohen (Women’s Lower Extremity) won her third-straight gold medal as well. Cohen is the best female adaptive Games athlete to date.
Christina Mazzullo (Women’s Upper Extremity) won gold, her second adaptive Games podium. Mazzullo won silver at the 2022 CrossFit Games.
Rogan Dean (Men’s Lower Extremity) won gold, his second adaptive Games podium. Dean won silver at the 2022 CrossFit Games.
Anne-Laure Coutenceau (Women’s Upper Extremity) won silver, her third adaptive Games podium finish. Coutenceau won bronze at the 2021 and 2022 CrossFit Games.
Charles Pienaar (Men’s Lower Extremity) won silver, his second adaptive Games podium finish. Pienaar won gold at the 2022 CrossFit Games.

Christina Mazzullo during Test 6 | Photo by Tai Randall

Multi-Games Adaptive Athletes Who Earned Their First Medal

Alexis Fiorucci (Men’s Upper Extremity) – Silver
Xabier Osa Mendes (Men’s Upper Extremity) – Bronze
Mijail Pedrini (Men’s Multi-Extremity) – Bronze

Mijail Pedrini after Test 8 | Photo by Adam Bow

Rookie Adaptive Medalists

Bayleigh Hooper (Women’s Lower Extremity) – Gold
Noelle Henderson (Women’s Multi-Extremity) – Gold
Chris Rhyme (Men’s Multi-Extremity) – Gold
Amea Reyna (Women’s Multi-Extremity) – Silver
James Brown (Men’s Multi-Extremity) – Silver
Elaine de Rocco (Women’s Upper Extremity) – Bronze
Molly Moore (Women’s Lower Extremity) – Bronze
Jordan Ingalsbe (Women’s Multi-Extremity) – Bronze
Hildon Carvalho (Men’s Lower Extremity) – Bronze

Noelle Henderson during Tests 1 and 2 | Photo by @lifeofmalm

Notable Adaptive Test Winners

Casey Acree (Men’s Upper Extremity): Eight test wins for a career total of 22 – first overall for adaptive athletes. Acree swept the eight 2022 CrossFit Games tests, as well. He has competed in all 23 CrossFit Games adaptive tests. The only one he didn’t win was 2021’s Test 3 in which he took third place).
Valerie Cohen (Women’s Lower Extremity): Four test wins for a career total of 16 – second overall for adaptive athletes.
Christina Mazzullo (Women’s Upper Extremity): Five test wins for a career total of six – tied for fourth overall for adaptive athletes.
Charles Pienaar (Men’s Lower Extremity): Four test wins for a career total of six – tied for fourth overall for adaptive athletes.
Anne Laure Coutenceau (Women’s Upper Extremity): Two test wins for a career total of six – tied for fourth overall for adaptive athletes.
Noelle Henderson (Women’s Multi-Extremity): Five test wins in her rookie year – tied for seventh overall for adaptive athletes.
Rogan Dean (Men’s Lower Extremity): Four test wins for a career total of five – tied for seventh overall for adaptive athletes.
Bayleigh Hooper (Women’s Lower Extremity): Four test wins in her rookie year – tied for eleventh overall for adaptive athletes.
Chris Rhyme (Men’s Multi-Extremity): Four test wins in his rookie year – tied for eleventh overall for adaptive athletes.

Rogan Dean during Tests 1 and 2 | Photo by Charlotte Foerschler

Age-Group Multi-Podium Finishers

Susan Clarke (Women 60-64) won her sixth masters championship of her six Games appearances – the most of all time for the age groups, breaking her tie with Mary Beth Prodromides who now has the second most with five. Clarke has never been beaten and is now tied with Tia-Clair Toomey for second most Games gold medals (Rich Froning Jr. has the most with 10: four individual and six team). Clarke is arguably the best master of all time. To add another feather in her cap, she won this year in her last season of eligibility for her division. It was only the seventh time a master won in the last year of their division. The others are: Kelly Friel, Kevin Koester, Kyle Kasperbauer, Stephanie Roy, Will Powell, and Susan Habbe.
Samantha Briggs (Women 40-44) won gold and became the first one to earn a masters and individual championship. Only two other athletes have CrossFit Games gold medals from two different divisions: Rich Froning Jr. as an individual and team member, and Lisa Mikkelsen as a master and team member. Briggs now checks off the individual master pairing. The last big “first” will be the individual, team member, and masters champion trifecta. And before we know it, the first teenage champion combined with individual, team, and eventually masters will happen. This was Briggs’ second masters medal in her two masters appearances (silver in 2018). After retiring to return to a career as a full-time firefighter, Briggs competed in the season and found herself back at the Games this year.

Samantha Briggs during Test 4 | Photo by Joy Silva

Kevin Koester (Men 55-59) is on a Susan-Clarke type run – winning a Games masters championship, taking the next season off, and returning to win another championship. He won his fourth Games championship in four tries (alternating championship seasons with taking a season off) and has never been beaten at the Games. His four masters championships puts him in a tie for third overall. Additionally, Koester swept the Men’s 55-59 Games season winning the Open, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Games (one of three age-group athletes this year to sweep).
Jason Grubb (Men 45-49) won his fourth consecutive gold medal and his fifth consecutive podium finish. He is tied for third overall for most masters championships (four) and tied for fourth overall for masters podium finishes (five). Grubb has the longest current championship streak of any other Games division.
Kelly Friel (Women 45-49) won her third consecutive gold medal and her fifth consecutive podium finish. She is tied for seventh overall for most masters championships (three) and tied for fourth overall for podium finishes (five). A strong argument can be made that Friel is the second-best CrossFit athlete from the United Kingdom behind Samantha Briggs.
Ty Jenkins (Boys 16-17) won his third consecutive teenage gold medal in his last year of the teenage divisions. He becomes just the second teenager to win three teenage golds — only Dallin Pepper has done it before. Jenkins stated his goal is to be the first male to make the Games as an individual the season after aging out of the boys division. Unlike the girls, teenage boys have not been able to make the transition to qualify as an individual as an 18-year-old.
Cheryl Brost (Women 50-54) won her third masters gold and her fourth podium finish. She is tied for seventh overall for most masters championships (three) and tied for ninth overall for masters podiums (four). Brost also has two fourth-place finishes as a master. A remarkable note about her career is that she competed as an individual in 2010-2012 when she was already at current masters ages (39, 40, and 41, respectively). Her best was seventh place in the 2011 Games as a 40-year-old. She was 13^th in 2010 and 15^th in 2012.
Lucy McGonigle (Girls 16-17) won her second consecutive gold medal and her third-straight teenage podium finish. She became the eighth teenager to win at the younger age in their division. McGonigle competed as an individual at the Europe Semifinal this season as a 16-year-old, taking 45^th. Next season, she will be looking to keep the tradition going of having a 17-year-old qualify for the Games as an individual. Currently, the streak is at three years (2021 – Mal O’Brien and Emma Cary, 2022 – Emma Lawson, 2023 – Olivia Kerstetter). If McGonigle doesn’t qualify for the Games as an individual in 2024, she can come back as a 17-year-old to attempt to tie Jenkins’ and Pepper’s teenage championship record. But she will also have a silver medal and could become the most decorated teenage division athlete of all time.
Julie Holt (Women 65+) is a five-time Games master who repeated her championship from last year, giving her two gold medals for her career.
Rudolph Berger (Men 40-44) defended his title from last season earning him two gold medals in his two masters appearances.

Rudolph Berger during Tests 1 and 2 | Photo by Wendy Nielsen

Laurie Meschishnick (Women 55-59) won bronze for her sixth career podium, which ties her with Susan Clarke for second most of all time (Mary Beth Prodromides has seven masters podiums). Meschishnick now has two of each medal for her career.
David Hippensteel (Men 65+) won silver and his fifth career podium, which puts him in a tie for fourth most of all time for masters.
Patricia McGill (Women 60-64) won bronze for her fourth career masters podium in her four Games appearances.
Shanna Bunce (Women 55-59) won silver to go along with her gold medal from last season.
Sean Patrick (Men 50-54) won silver in his second masters appearance. Last year he won gold.
Tom Fameree (Men 60-64) won silver improving from his bronze last season.
Vlad Liashkevich (Men 45-49) won silver in his second masters appearance, improving from his bronze last season.
Jenn Ryan (Women 40-44) won bronze to go along with her silver medal from last season.
Pauline Sciascia (Women 65+) won her second career bronze.
Bryan Wong (Men 35-39) won bronze in his second masters appearance. Last year he won gold.
RJ Mestre (Boys 16-17) won bronze, last year he won gold.

RJ Mestre during Test 5 | Photo by flsportsguy photography

Longtime Age-Group Athletes Who Earned Their first Medal

Stuart Swanson (Men 60-64) won gold, his first medal in five attempts including 2020. He also completed the season sweep in the Men’s 60-64 division winning the Open, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Games (one of three age-group athletes this year to sweep).
Leka Fineman (Women 55-59) won her first Games medal (gold) in six attempts.
Michael Laverriere (Men 40-44) won his first Games medal (silver) in six attempts including a DNS (did not start) and 2020 qualification.
Jon Kim (Men 55-59) won his first Games medal (silver) in three attempts.
Nicole Abbott (Women 50-54) won her first Games medal (silver) in three attempts.
Trista Smith (Girls 16-17) won her first Games medal (silver), she was fourth place twice in her previous two Games.
Nathalie Connors (Women 50-54) won her first Games medal (bronze) in four attempts. Connors was also a Games team member at the 2012 and 2014 CrossFit Games.
Tom Muhlbeier (Men 65+) won his first Games medal (bronze) in five attempts including a DNS.

Nicole Abbott during Tests 1 and 2 | Photo by Charlotte Foerschler

Second-Time Age-Group Athletes Who Earned Their First Medal

Sam Dancer (Men 35-39) won his first masters medal (gold), which is his third Games medal. He now has two team silvers and one masters gold. Dancer is the seventh athlete to medal in the team and age-group divisions. Watch out – he announced his “retirement” from masters after winning gold to come back to compete as an individual.
Daniel Miller (Men 65+) – Gold
Artur Komorowski (Men 50-54) – Gold
Betsy Vanderburgh (Women 60-64) – Silver
Eric Cohen (Men 60-64) – Bronze
Ryan Joe Hamby (Men 55-59) – Bronze
Christopher Anderson (Men 45-49) – Bronze
Bergrós Björnsdóttir (Girls 16-17) – Bronze

Sam Dancer during Test 4 | Photo by Ginnie Coleman

Rookie Age-Group Medalists

María Granizo (Girls 14-15) completed the 2023 season sweep winning the Open, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Games – only teenager to do so and one of the three age-group athletes to complete the sweep.
Laurie Clément (Women 35-39) – Gold
Jeremie Jourdan (Boys 14-15) – Gold
Dava Jensen (Women 65+) – Silver
Amy Chapoton (Women 45-49) – Silver
Andreia Pinheiro (Women 40-44) – Silver
Stacie Tovar (Women 35-39) – Silver
Ioannis Papadopoulos (Men 35-39) – Silver
Hugo Jansson (Boys 16-17) – Silver
Miley Wade (Girls 14-15) – Silver
Lincoln LaFaver (Boys 14-15) – Silver
Jason Leeves (Men 50-54) – Bronze
Carolina Gutierrez (Women 45-49) – Bronze
Bruno Militao (Men 40-44) – Bronze
Colette Casey (Women 35-39) – Bronze
Mira Varga (Girls 14-15) – Bronze
Pau Martin Tiers (Boys 14-15) – Bronze

Dava Jensen during Test 5 | Photo by flsportsguy photography

Notable Age-Group Test Winners

Susan Clarke (Women 60-64): Six test wins for a career total of 29 – first overall for masters. Six wins tied for most in age groups at the 2023 Games.
Cheryl Brost (Women 50-54): Four test wins for a career total of 16 – second overall for masters. Additionally, she has one individual test win.
Kelly Friel (Women 45-49): Six test wins for a career total of 13 – tied for fifth overall for masters. Six wins tied for most in age groups at the 2023 Games.
David Hippensteel (Men 65+): Three test wins for a career total of 13 – tied for fifth overall for masters.
Jason Grubb (Men 45-49): Three test wins for a career total of 13 – tied for fifth overall for masters.
Ty Jenkins (Boys 16-17): Five test wins for a career total of nine – tied for third overall for teenagers.
Samantha Briggs (Women 40-44): Three test wins for a career total of nine – tied for 16^th overall for masters. She also has 11 test wins as an individual — tied for the sixth most overall. When you combine Games individual and age-group test wins, she has 20, which is the fourth best overall.
Julie Holt (Women 65+): Four test wins for a career total of nine – tied for 16^th overall for masters.
Kevin Koester (Men 55-59): Four test wins for a career total of nine – tied for 16^th overall for masters.
María Granizo (Girls 14-15): Four test wins in her first Games.

Kevin Koester during Test 5 | Photo by flsportsguy photography

Notable Appearances

This list is always led off by “Ironwoman” Lynne Knapman with 13* (every Games that has included a masters competition).
Laurie Meschishnick (10*) – Second of all time.
Linda Elstun (9*) – Tied for third of all time.
David Hippensteel (9*) – Tied for third of all time.
Cheryl Brost (7) – Tied for ninth of all time.
Debbie Downing (7) – Tied for ninth of all time.

*Qualified for the 2020 CrossFit Games (not included in total as age groups didn’t compete that year).

Lynne Knapman during Tests 1 and 2 | Photo by Joy Silva

Helen

Every age division and the adaptive upper-extremity division completed the Helen benchmark workout as originally prescribed:

3 rounds for time of:

400-meter run

21 kettlebell swings (35/53 lb)

12 pull-ups

The lower-extremity and multi-extremity athletes had a few modifications with the workout. Note that the time caps varied by division: 14-49-10 minutes; 50+-13 minutes; adaptive-18 minutes. The individuals did their own version of Helen (named Helena) with bar muscle-ups and dumbbell snatches.

The programming of Helen at the Games was a special occasion as it came up on its 20th anniversary as the Workout of the Day on CrossFit.com. First appearing Aug. 9, 2003, the workout was named “Helen” on Nov. 5, 2003 on its second mainsite Workout of the Day appearance.

In total, Helen has been programmed 51 times as the mainsite WOD. Pyramid Double Helen, a 2010 CrossFit Games individual test, has been programmed twice on CrossFit.com,, and Double Helen has been programmed once. In the age-group field this year, there were four women who competed in the 2010 CrossFit Games. Below is their 2023 CrossFit Games Helen placing and their placing in the 2010 Pyramid Double Helen test out of 41 women:

Samantha Briggs (40-44): 2^nd – 8:01.09 (26th in 2010)
Rebecca Voigt Miller (40-44): 3^rd – 8:01.48 (tied for 12th in 2010)
Stacie Tovar (35-39): 4^th – 8:10.58 (9th in 2010)
Cheryl Brost (50-54): 1^st – 8:32.19 (tied for 12th in 2010)

Stacie Tovar during Helen | Photo by @wongsdottir

Given the same test, we can compare times across all age-group and upper-extremity athletes (94 men and 94 women).

For the males, the best Helen times were:

1^stGintas Petrikas (35-39) 7:16.65
2^ndSam Dancer (35-39) 7:18.10
3^rdTy Jenkins (16-17) 7:18.13
4^thAdam De Jong (35-39) 7:18.31
5^thKyle Muckleroy (16-17) 7:19.06
6^thGustavo Pusch (16-17) 7:19.37
7^thJosh Marunde (35-39) 7:19.98
8^thFrantišek Heribán (40-44) 7:23.73
9^thJulien Lopez (35-39) 7:25.86
10^thKaiden Hogan (16-17) 7:29.11

Note the four teenagers in the top 10, including the third-best time.

Other notable male Helen times:

17^thChristopher Anderson (45-49) 7:40.43
26^thLeonardo Cruz (14-15) 7:48.54
38^thCory Dague (50-54) 8:16.92
44^thCasey Acree (Upper Extremity) 8:29.45
57^thRobert Davis (55-59) 9:05.33
58^thShannon Aiken (60-64) 9:05.35
80^thDavid Hippensteel (65+) 10:40.49

Kaiden Hogan cartwheeling across the finish line during Helen | Photo by Wendy Nielsen

For the females, the best Helen times were:

1^stLucy McGonigle (16-17) 7:36.08
2^ndMaría Granizo (14-15) 7:38.90
3^rdHayes Willard (16-17) 7:46.25
4^thLaurie Clément (35-39) 7:50.70
5^thMiley Wade (14-15) 7:51.79
6^thMira Varga (14-15) 7:54.02
7^thJenn Ryan (40-44) 7:57.61
8^thSamantha Briggs (40-44) 8:01.09
9^thRebecca Voigt Miller (40-44) 8:01.48
10^thBrynn Cupp (14-15) 8:03.24

Note the six teenagers in the top 10, including the top three best times (second-best time by a 15-year-old). There were three women from the 40-44 division in the top 10, being in a tight battle for the overall lead that helped push the three to top times.

Other notable female Helen times:

25^thAmy Chapoton (45-49) 8:18.63
32^ndCheryl Brost (50-54) 8:32.19
54^thSusan Clarke (60-64) 9:31.39
59^thLeigh Coates (55-59) 9:39.91
68^thChristina Mazzullo (Upper Extremity) 10:43.87
79^thJulie Holt (65+) 12:31.19

Notable Reunions in the Age-Group Divisions

Of the 10 Boys 16-17 competitors, seven competed in the 14-15 division in 2021: Ty Jenkins, Kaiden Myers, Kaiden Hogan, Isaiah Weber, RJ Mestre, Ka'eo Subiono, and Gustavo Pusch.

Of the 10 Women’s 65+ competitors, six competed in the 60+ division in 2018: Pauline Sciascia, Marcia Yager, Karin Gogolsky, Silvana Volpe, Carol Lynn Thistle, and Page Lockhart.

Of the 10 Women’s 55-59 competitors, five competed in the 50-54 division in 2018: Leka Fineman, Laurie Meschishnick, Linda Elstun, Kristi Lunny, and Maricruz Prieto.

Of the 10 Girls 16-17 competitors, five competed in the 14-15 division in 2021: Trista Smith, Lucy McGonigle, Jenna Michelotti, Hailey Rolfe, and Rylee Beebe.

Six of the 10 Women’s 60-64 competitors and six of the 10 Women’s 55-59 competitors competed in the same division last year.

Trista Smith and the Girls 16-17 Division | Photo by Charlotte Foerschler

Up Next

In the final article of this series recapping the 2023 CrossFit Games, I will go over notable combined stats and records across all the divisions and other assorted topics.

Cover Photo by Johany Jutras