James Sprague is crowned men's champion of the 2026 CrossFit Games with 1318 points, 27 ahead of Dallin Pepper. Aimee Cringle wins the women's title with 1394 points, 136 ahead of Emma Lawson. In the team division, CrossFit Whip takes the title with 1055 points, overtaking CrossFit Mayhem (1030) on the final day.
James Sprague, Men's Champion
A lead he never gave up
James Sprague began the 2026 CrossFit Games at the top of the leaderboard and never lost that position at any cut of the competition: first after Wednesday's opening events, first at the close of day 1 with 414 points, first at the close of day 2 with 752, and first at the close of day 3 with 1114. This wasn't a comeback story, it was a constant defense of first place against a pack of chasers who never let up.
That pressure was most visible during Saturday's Speed Snatch Triple, where the overall standings were wide open between Sprague, Dallin Pepper and Jay Crouch, separated by very few points. Sprague managed the event intelligently, avoiding mistakes in a test that didn't particularly favor his profile, and went into the Echo Thruster with a narrow lead that he managed to hold.
The final margin
Sprague finished the competition with 1318 points, ahead of Dallin Pepper (1291) and Jay Crouch (1228). The gap to second place ended up at 27 points, the tightest of the three titles decided in San Jose.
His profile as an athlete
Sprague proved to be a complete athlete throughout the program, with standout performances in both strength and endurance. In the CrossFit Total deadlift, he lifted 590 lb (268 kg), the second-best mark of the event, behind only Patrick Vellner.
In Saturday's Jump Pull Yoke, he took the event win with a time of 03:20.65. His evolution as a lifter has been one of the most talked-about storylines of this edition: just a few years ago he wasn't considered a particularly strong athlete, and in 2026 he has become one of the best lifters on the circuit.
Aimee Cringle, Women's Champion
Dominance from the first event
Aimee Cringle led the women's standings from the close of day 1, with 458 points, and never lost that position at any point in the competition. She won the 7,200-meter Ranch Run with a time of 40:41, confirming what was already expected of her after her season: she's one of the biggest favorites for the title.
She also took the Grass Track Race (19:10.78), the 500-meter sprint (01:20.98) and Triple Pig (10:41.36), one of the most technical events of the weekend.
A lead that kept growing every day
Cringle's margin over her rivals kept increasing: 38 points at the close of day 1, 87 at the close of day 2, 116 at the close of day 3, and 136 points in the final standings, with 1394 points against Emma Lawson's 1258 in second place.
Lucy Campbell, third with 1229 points, was the other major presence in the women's field, but she couldn't cut into Cringle's lead at any stage either.
The second edition without Toomey
2026 is the second edition in which Tia-Clair Toomey isn't competing because she has become a mother again. You can read more about her legacy and the rest of the historic champions in our look back at 20 years of CrossFit Games history.
CrossFit Whip, Team Champions
CrossFit Whip (USA) was crowned team champion with 1055 points, ahead of CrossFit Mayhem (1030), who had led the overall standings for much of the competition until the final day.
In Sunday's closing events, Whip won the Presidential 400 and added podium finishes in Max Pull (2nd) and the row/ski relay event (2nd), results that allowed them to flip the standings in the final stretch.
What the 20th Edition Left Behind
The 2026 CrossFit Games close their 20th edition with two champions who dominated much of the competition from the front, and a team champion who came from behind on the final day.
If you want to revisit the full history of champions since 2007, including the great dynasties of Rich Froning, Mat Fraser and Tia-Clair Toomey, you can do so in our article on 20 years of CrossFit Games history.
Leave a comment
This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.