Mid-Atlantic CrossFit Challenge: young gun Jayson Hopper wins along with Tia-Clair Toomey

It appears the future is now in the sport of CrossFit.

Jayson Hopper, a 23-year-old former collegiate American football player for Clemson, won the Mid-Atlantic CrossFit Challenge over the weekend in Knoxville, Tennessee, against some stiff competition. Hopper has yet to compete at the CrossFit Games but finished 19th in the 2021 CrossFit Open.

Hopper led the men’s division for most of the three-day tournament, finishing ahead of Scott Panchik and Justin Medeiros, who are CrossFit Games veterans. The games will take place after 10 semi-finals (another is also completed, the Torian Pro) from July 26-August 1 in Madison, Wisconsin, in front of fans.

Travis Mayer and Zack Watts also punched tickets on the men’s side, while a number of others have now qualified for the Last Chance Qualifier. Hopper posted on Instagram after the win: “Games bound baby. Dream come true! So many things to say, so many people to thank. For now though, let’s celebrate!”

On the women’s side, it was none other than four-time defending champion Tia-Clair Toomey who took the crown. Toomey, 27, was originally going to have to return to her native Australia (she lives in the US now) for a semi-final, but CrossFit tweaked its qualification structure for the semi-finals, letting her and a few other notable athletes avoid having to travel due to Covid-19 restrictions.

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Toomey was followed by Haley Adams and Brooke Wells, both of whom also made the final five for the 2020 games. Toomey posted on Instagram after the event, noting the Mid-Atlantic and Torian Pro are the first in-person live events that have taken place within the CrossFit world in more than a year.

“I’m so grateful I got an opportunity to compete in-person and in front of an incredible crowd,” she said.

On the team side, Rich Froning, a former four-time men’s individual competitor, won the event with his CrossFit Mayhem Freedom teammates.

Froning has also been a part of four team wins at the games, but the teamcompetition was axed last season due to the pandemic. Second went to Lone Star CrossFit and CrossFit Westchase took third.

Next up is the Granite Games and Fittest in Cape Town, with both taking place from June 4-6.

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