Sunday, 4:45pm: The men’s podium is a whole metaphor

Sunday, 4:45pm: The men’s podium is a whole metaphor: A Games champion on top, flanked by the retiring fikowski 🇨🇦 on one side and the ascendant jhopper3 🇺🇸 on the other. 

Brent, smiling so hard it looks like his cheeks hurt, appears to have no regrets about his decision to retire after the Rogue Invitational. During the closing ceremonies, it’s easy to see why: From his vantage point on the podium, he has a clear view of Jayson’s face, which has been completely transformed by triumph. Gone is the frowning, brooding, blustery look he wears backstage. He holds his third place Rogue trophy in his hands like it’s picture day at school, grinning like an idiot, the only person in Scotland smiling bigger than Fikowski. 

It’s the thing the NextGen and the old guard have in common: CrossFit Games athletes love this sport to the very core of their being. Jayson, James and Justin got it from watching Brent and Pat and Mat before them, who got it from watching Rich and Jason and Mikko before them. The culture the Legends established is the reason CrossFit has managed to evolve so much and still attract the same caliber of human being.

No wonder Brent looks so happy. The future of the sport is in good hands.

✍🏽: @christinedca

📷: @emomphoto