The highest paid athletes at the 2022 CrossFit Games

by Joaquín Meroño

The second season of the new NOBULL CrossFit Games payout structure hasn't changed much from the previous year, as the biggest earner in the men's and women's divisions, as in previous years, was the athlete who finished as "Fittest " .
We have compiled the list of final payouts for the 2022 season. This list takes into account the prize money awarded by the Games, the Open, the Semifinals and the victory bonuses for each event won, both from the Games and the Open.
This season, total pay for individual athletes increased after consecutive seasons of decline. Last season, the total earned by individual athletes amounted to $2,323,168 , which was the first year of the new format.
  • This year, the total individual prize money for the CrossFit Games season was $2,518,132 , an increase of 8.4% over the 2021 CrossFit season.
  • The increase can be attributed to CrossFit expanding payments to all individual athletes competing in the Games.
  • $3,072,856: The total prize money won by individual athletes during the 2018-2019 season. To date, that is the highest mark in prize money ever awarded during a season.
  • The list does not include athlete sponsorship offers which may include monetary compensation, bonuses, and NOBULL CrossFit Games athlete jersey sales.
Women
  1. Tia-Clair Toomey – $343,022
  2. Mallory O’Brien – $151,044
  3. Laura Horvath – $95,000
  4. Danielle Brandon – $65,000
  5. Brooke Wells: $48,000
  6. Haley Adams – $45,500
  7. Emma Lawson: $43,000
  8. Kara Saunders: $39,000
  9. Gabriela Migała – $36,000
  10. Alexis Raptis – $32,000

Within the numbers of women's payments:
  • For the third year in a row, Toomey leads all athletes, male or female, in total earnings during the Games season.
  • Toomey's $343,022 earned during the season ranks fourth on the all-time season pay list.
  • O'Brien 's total win is the most by an athlete who has not won the Games. The $151,044 ranks 13th on the all-time women's list.
  • Lawson joined O'Brien as the youngest athlete to appear on the top 10 list. She was seventh with $43,000 earned during the season, matching what O'Brien earned last year.

Men
  1. Justin Medeiros – $328,500
  2. Roman Khrennikov - $136,000
  3. Ricky Garard – $94,000
  4. Samuel Kwant – $60,000
  5. Jeffrey Adler: $51,000
  6. Saxon Panchik - $46,000
  7. Patrick Vellner: $44,000
  8. Guilherme Malheiros – $38,000
  9. Jayson Hopper – $37,000
  10. Lazar Đukić – $37,000

Among the men's payment numbers:
  • For the second consecutive season, Medeiros tops the list with a career-best $328,500 earned, which ranks third on the men's all-time lists.
  • Khrennikov. His $136,000 earned during the CrossFit Games season ranks 15th on all-time money charts and is the third-highest total for an athlete who did not win the Games.
  • Garard was second in CrossFit Games bonus earnings with $10,000.
  • The three main preseason competitions Rogue Invitational, Dubai CrossFit Championship and Wodapalooza paid a total of $987,729 in the men's category this season compared to the $1,260,066 offered by the CrossFit season .

The award payments to all people competing in the CrossFit Games was a big step in the right direction for the professionalization of the sport ; However, it is not enough, as athletes outside the top-10 will continue to struggle to make ends meet with the current salary structure.
Pre-season and off-season competitions have proven useful and the introduction of events such as the CanWest and the Madrid Championship , to name a few, will offer more opportunities for athletes.


The current payment model has seen some growth, but it is far from the answer athletes, sponsors and brands need to continue the growth of the sport. After what looks like a successful season for CrossFit, we hope they can address some of the athlete pay shortfalls and offer more incentives during the upcoming season.