Rich Froning's CrossFit legacy is unblemished
by Joaquín Meroño
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Ten is a kind of iconic number.
In eleven years, between 2011 and 2022, Rich Froning has won ten CrossFit Games championships. There is no way to underestimate this milestone because what he has accomplished is truly incredible in making history in this sport. Not only will no one duplicate this type of resume, but most likely no one will come close to it. That is not a challenge, but rather a statement of intent. Froning’s legacy is unimpeachable because he did it during a pivotal time in CrossFit’s young history, something that cannot be replicated.
The CrossFit gods have smiled on Rich Froning for many years. He gave the sport its first bonafide superstar and at key moments acted as its spokesperson as the sport went through the usual growing pains. He is a consummate professional and has always handled himself with the utmost respect and integrity. He has rarely, if ever, been involved in a controversy with anyone, and is not only a beast in the arena, but a gentleman outside of it. Those who have shared events with him testify that he is an alpha male, where his voice stands with power over others, even over the organizers of the competition.
It's easy to go through all the statistics associated with his name, a long list of accolades, trophies and awards. But where Froning has shined the brightest is in "branding" - the name he's built for himself and the people around him. The companies he's founded, the gyms he's built, the friendships he's forged and the people he's helped get into the sport and become the best athletes they can be.
Froning's legacy will surely be built on awards and that golden number: 10, or even more if he decides to continue competing. But CrossFit is, and always will be, the house that Rich built from the ground up, that he helped grow, and we all thank him for that.
People position him as an icon, a hero or a superstar. The quarterback of the team, the perfect American hero.
When it comes to Rich Froning in the CrossFit world, he is all of these things. The comparisons to Mat Fraser are endless. Whether or not he decides to retire after this season, or head to the masters division, the truth is that no one wants to see him off the track, and we all wish he could keep competing forever.
When Froning decides to hang up his boots, the sport will never be the same. He is irreplaceable, and his legacy will never be equaled or bettered. Froning is CrossFit, and CrossFit is Rich Froning. In the meantime, let's enjoy it.