The first event of the 2016 CrossFit Regionals was a test of strength and speed. It was a race against the clock to snatch five barbells descending in reps but ascending in weight. The athlete to complete the snatch ladder in the shortest amount of time won.
This event — just like every CrossFit workout — was measurable, observable, and repeatable.
Whether a CrossFit workout programmed at a CrossFit affiliate or during the CrossFit Games season to find the Fittest on Earth, we repeat workouts at an irregular cadence to measure progress.
So, eight years later, CrossFit athletes were retested in the same snatch ladder event at the 2024 CrossFit Semifinals, and for the returning 2016 Regional athletes, this was a retest to see just how much their fitness had progressed over the years.
Out of the 27 returning 2016 Regionals men, 20 improved their scores, and of the 19 returning women, 16 improved.
So what does this mean? The fittest athletes on Earth may be getting older, but they are only getting fitter and wiser.
“My training has evolved so much (since 2016),” said eight-time CrossFit Games athlete Brent Fikowski. “I wish I knew back then what I know now about training and how to prep for a comp. I’m definitely stronger and definitely know myself better.”
![Brent Fikowski in the bottom of snatch at the 2024 North America West Semifinal](https://games-assets.crossfit.com/s3fs-public/inline-images/Brent%20Fikowski%20in%20the%20bottom%20of%20snatch%20at%20the%202024%20North%20America%20West%20Semifinal.jpeg)
Brent Fikowski during Event 5 at the 2024 North America West Semifinal | Photo by Adam Bow
The Snatch Ladder: 2016 vs. 2024
Key | Better Score | Worse Score | Same Score |
Men
Name |
2016 Regional |
Age in 2016 |
2016 Score |
2024 Semifinal |
Age in 2024 |
2024 Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brent Fikowski | West | 25 | 7:31.24 | North America West | 33 | 5:12.15 |
Patrick Vellner | East | 25 | Cap+6 | North America West | 33 | 10:35.20 |
Samuel Kwant | West | 20 | 8:54.10 | North America West | 28 | 7:02.88 |
Cole Sager | West | 25 | 8:20.40 | North America West | 33 | Cap+1 |
Sam Dancer | Central | 29 | 6:42.99 | North America West | 37 | 8:26.67 |
Chase Smith | East | 27 | Cap | North America West | 35 | Cap+3 |
Jordan Eldrige | California | 22 | Cap+10 | North America West | 30 | 9:36.22 |
Nick Thomas | West | 25 | Cap+8 | North America West | 33 | 8:24.33 |
Saxon Panchik | Central | 19 | 10:24.62 | North America East | 27 | 7:12.41 |
Alexandre Caron | East | 20 | Cap+5 | North America East | 28 | 7:31.97 |
Travis Mayer | Atlantic | 25 | Cap+1 | North America East | 33 | 7:26.55 |
Dre Strohm | Central | 22 | Cap+3 | North America East | 30 | 8:09.44 |
Alex Vigneult | East | 23 | 7:04.69 | North America East | 31 | 6:32.14 |
Jake Berman | Atlantic | 20 | Cap+5 | North America East | 28 | 7:46.33 |
Ben Smith | Atlantic | 26 | 6:43.90 | North America East | 34 | 6:32.03 |
Austin Spencer | East | 23 | Cap+5 | North America East | 31 | Cap+7 |
Ricky Garard | Pacific | 21 | Cap+1 | Oceania | 30 | 6:29.17 |
Robert Forte | Pacific | 29 | 8:16.61 | Oceania | 37 | 9:14.01 |
Michael Mikaere | Pacific | 25 | Cap+7 | Oceania | 33 | Cap+7 |
Adam Mansy | Pacific | 28 | Cap+10 | Oceania | 37 | Cap+14 |
Anderon Primo | South | 21 | Cap+2 | South America | 29 | 5:58.00 |
Guilherme Domingues | South | 26 | Cap+13 | South America | 34 | Cap+1 |
Björgvin Karl Guðmundsson | Meridian | 23 | 7:39.82 | Europe | 31 | 6:30.79 |
Jonne Koski | Meridian | 21 | 9:13.87 | Europe | 29 | 7:23.82 |
Ant Haynes | Pacific | 26 | Cap+10 | Asia | 34 | Cap+5 |
Ruan Duvenage | Meridian | 27 | 8:42.12 | Africa | 35 | 7:27.00 |
Alan Foulis | Meridian | 30 | Cap+4 | Africa | 38 | 8:44.00 |
Women
Name |
2016 Regional |
Age in 2016 |
2016 Score |
2024 Semifinal |
Age in 2024 |
2024 Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arielle Loewen | South | 22 | Cap+1 | North America West | 30 | 7:03.94 |
Nicole Mgenyi | Central | 26 | 8:02.07 | North America West | 34 | 6:59.00 |
Alison Scudds | Atlantic | 23 | Cap+9 | North America West | 31 | 8:40.12 |
Jamie Hagiya | California | 31 | 6:45.62 | North America West | 39 | 9:43.70 |
Brittney Chestnut | South | 24 | Cap+11 | North America West | 32 | Cap+22 |
Tia-Clair Toomey | Pacific | 22 | 8:30.20 | North America East | 30 | 5:02.60 |
Brooke Wells | Central | 20 | 6:20.32 | North America East | 28 | 5:52.79 |
Paige Semenza | Atlantic | 24 | Cap+9 | North America East | 32 | 5:36.35 |
Chloe Gauvin-David | East | 24 | 9:41.01 | North America East | 32 | 6:26.29 |
Carolyne Prevost | East | 26 | Cap+14 | North America East | 34 | 8:54.62 |
Madeline Sturt | Pacific | 19 | Cap+27 | Oceania | 27 | 9:18.00 |
Katelin Van Zyl | Pacific | 24 | Cap+13 | Oceania | 32 | 8:16.89 |
Alethea Boon | Pacific | 32 | 10:18.20 | Oceania | 40 | 10:15.06 |
Victoria Campos | Pacific | 23 | Cap+21 | South America | 31 | 7:03 |
Laura Horvath | Meridian | 19 | Cap+5 | Europe | 27 | 5:06.04 |
Emma McQuaid | Meridian | 26 | 8:14.45 | Europe | 34 | 7:17.90 |
Jacqueline Dalstrøm | Meridian | 24 | Cap+7 | Europe | 32 | 6:42.06 |
Thuridur Erla Helgadottir | Meridian | 24 | 8:18.71 | Europe | 32 | 7:59.16 |
Yuko Sakuyama | Pacific | 29 | Cap+16 | Asia | 37 | Cap+22 |
Get Ready for the 2024 CrossFit Games
There’s something about a heavy barbell that gets the crowd going. The snatch ladder had everyone out of their seats — whether it was for Gui Malheiros’ touch-and-go reps on the last set of 265-lb snatches in South America or when 40-year-old Alethea Boon bested her previous 2016 score by mere seconds in Oceania.
This is just the beginning of mind-blowing moments this season.
The best in the world will be competing on one stage at the 2024 CrossFit Games in Fort Worth, Texas, from Aug. 8-11, 2024. By the end of the competition, the Fittest on Earth will be crowned.
You’re not going to want to miss it.
Cover photo by Ruby Wolff