The CrossFit Open is a celebration of fitness, community, and effort. It unites hundreds of thousands of athletes from across the globe in the largest participatory sporting event on Earth.
The Open is also an opportunity for CrossFit to celebrate you: the athletes who are the heart and soul of their communities. The athletes who serve others. The athletes who are committed to becoming the fittest version of themselves.
This year, we will recognize special members of the CrossFit community with the Golden Barbell Award.
In This Article:
How It Works
The winner of each live Open announcement matchup will win a physical Golden Barbell, made by Rogue Fitness, as an award for their victory.
We are also inviting the community to nominate their peers for the digital Golden Barbell Award. Each week, you will have the opportunity to nominate your peers for one of these themes:
Week 1: The heart and soul of your gym.
Week 2: A local Service Open athlete.
Week 3: An athlete with the most standout performance during the Open.
Winners will receive a $400 Rogue gift card. Winners be selected on the CrossFit Games podcast and recognized during the live Open Announcement shows. View the contest terms and conditions HERE.
How To Nominate a Peer
To nominate a peer for the Golden Barbell Award, post a photo or video on social media explaining why this individual embodies the week’s theme. Be sure to include the hashtag #GoldenBarbellAward in the caption to secure your nomination.
Winners
Week 1
Open Announcement Winner: Jeff Adler
Reigning Fittest Man on Earth Jeff Adler is the first winner of the Rogue Golden Barbell. Adler won two of the three workouts in Week 1: the throwback to Open Workout 11.3 and the first workout of this year's Open, 24.1.
Jeff Adler with the Golden Barbell at the 24.1 Announcement | Photo by Meg Ellery
Community Winner: Jill Paullus
Congratulations to Jill Paullus — the heart and soul of State 35 CrossFit and the winner of the Golden Barbell Award for Week 1!
“Jill embodies everything that makes CrossFit a true community. She is strong inside and out and has been a source of empowerment in the gym since before most of us started CrossFitting. She's always there to cheer you on and leads by example the life of commitment and friendship 💕 we love you, Jill!!” — Rachel 'Treptow' Thompson
Jill will receive a $400 Rogue gift card as a special thank you!
Week 2
Week 2 Open Announcement Winner: Justin Medeiros
Two-time Fittest Man on Earth Justin Medeiros won the Week 2 Rogue Golden Barbell after beating Colten Mertens during the live Open Workout 24.2 matchup in his garage gym. He finished the workout with 926 reps.
Justin Medeiros with the Rogue Golden Barbell during the live announcement of Open Workout 24.2 | Photo by Charlotte Foerschler
Week 2 Community Winner: Andrew Ciccarelli
Congratulations to paramedic Andrew Ciccarelli, winner of the Golden Barbell Award for Week 2 of the Open.
“Every day, Andrew puts his heart and soul into his job, going above and beyond to ensure the well-being of others. From the frantic moments of emergency response to the calm reassurance he provides to patients, his compassion knows no bounds.
“But what truly sets Andrew apart is his relentless pursuit of personal excellence. Despite the demanding nature of his profession, he still finds time to train most days, pushing his physical limits to become the best version of himself. It’s not just about being fit for him; it’s about embodying resilience, discipline, and the spirit of never giving up.” — @coach_shaz
Week 3
Week 3 Open Announcement Winner: Jay Crouch
Australian Jay Crouch has won the final Rogue Golden Barbell of the 2024 CrossFit Open!
Competing in his 11th Open and first live announcement, Crouch took on rounds of thrusters, chest-to-bar pull-ups, and bar muscle-ups alongside fellow Games athletes Arielle Loewen, Roman Khrennikov, and Sydney Wells in Open Workout 24.3, and posted the fastest time in the workout — 9:14.60.
Crouch is a six-time Games athlete, two-time Oceania Semifinal winner, and placed eighth overall at the 2023 CrossFit Games.
Jay Crouch holding the Golden Barbell at the Live Announcement of 24.3 | Photo by Charlotte Foerschler
Week 3 Community Winner: Lex Esposito
Congratulations to Lex Esposito — winner of the Golden Barbell Award for her standout performance in the 2024 CrossFit Open!
Esposito missed the time cap in Open Workout 24.1 by 16 reps, but she knew she had more in the tank. After redoing it, she finished in 14:39 — an Rx’d score she wouldn’t have been able to achieve just one year ago.
“It was the hardest fought, hardest won Rx finish that CrossFit SPRC has seen in the 2024 CrossFit Open. Her performance left tears in the eyes of the coaches and members who watched her workout.
“In one year, our Coach Lex picked herself up by her bootstraps, lost 100lbs, earned her CF-L2, and then pushed an open workout RX to finish; something that would have been impossible the year before. She is the definition of discipline, tenacity, grit, and leaning into the hard shit. She is an inspiration to our members and fellow coaches. She deserves to be recognized not only for redoing and crushing 24.1, but what it took to get there.”
Cover photo by Michael Brian. See the official contest terms and conditions.