The test looked simple on paper but demanded a unique combination of strength, coordination, and explosive athleticism.
In Event 9, athletes had three attempts to throw a sandbag as far as possible. One throw was completed with the left foot forward, one with the right foot forward, and the final throw required athletes to launch the bag backwards over their head in a movement reminiscent of a classic strongman toss. Each athlete’s score was the combined distance of all three throws.
The men used a 30 lb (13.6 kg) sandbag, while the women competed with a lighter implement. With 50 points available, every yard mattered in the race for the overall leaderboard.
Before competition began, athletes were given the opportunity to experiment with their technique, an important advantage in an event where timing and trajectory proved just as important as raw power. Competitors also had to keep each throw inside their designated lane, with any bag leaving the lane resulting in a costly 10 yard penalty.
The event tested rotational power, coordination, balance, and full body explosiveness in a way rarely seen at the CrossFit Games.
Men
The opening heats immediately demonstrated that technique would separate the field.
Hamming produced a series of strong, consistent throws, while Pat Vellner once again showed his versatility with an excellent performance. Gui Malheiros looked powerful throughout, although he initially trailed Vellner during the early attempts. Bayley Martin also impressed with his explosive power, while Jeff Adler generated tremendous force on every throw.
Vellner became the first athlete to surpass a combined distance of 122 feet, setting an early benchmark for the rest of the field. That mark did not stand for long.
Malheiros responded with a combined distance exceeding 123 feet, moving himself into first place.
The final heat featured some of the biggest names in the competition. Jayson Hopper and Roman Khrennikov both demonstrated exceptional power, while James Sprague benefited from being the tallest athlete in the field, using his long levers to generate extra distance. Jay Crouch and Dallin Pepper also delivered several impressive throws as the leaderboard continued to shuffle.
When the final distances were measured, Malheiros remained on top, securing the event victory and claiming the sixth CrossFit Games event win of his career.
Women
The women’s competition quickly highlighted how important throwing mechanics were, particularly on the overhead backward throw. Athletes who released the sandbag too high or too low sacrificed valuable distance, while those who found the ideal launch angle gained a significant advantage.
Hannah Black displayed impressive power throughout her attempts, while Raptis and Greer also threw well in the opening heat.
Domit immediately caught the attention of the crowd. Rather than performing practice swings before each attempt, she simply stepped up and launched the bag, a confident approach that paid off. Her combined distance of 108 feet became the mark every athlete would chase.
The second heat featured Wilkinson, Siria Meha, Mathilde Garnes, Bjornsdottir, and others.
Garnes combined strength with solid technique, while Bjornsdottir consistently produced long throws using a noticeably lower release angle than many of her competitors. The three time teenage CrossFit Games athlete won her heat with an excellent display of throwing efficiency.
In the third heat, Alex Gazan and Ellie Turner both opened with strong first throws. Gazan ultimately won her heat but was unable to surpass the distance set earlier by Domit.
The final heat featured Haley Adams, Lucy Campbell, Aimee Cringle, Madeline Sturt, and Emma Lawson. The opening attempts were incredibly close, with little separating the leaders. Campbell produced a huge final throw to move herself into contention, but Cringle responded with an even longer effort to edge ahead within the heat.
Despite the late challenges, nobody could match Domit’s total.
The rookie secured the first CrossFit Games event victory of her career, capping off an outstanding performance in one of the most unusual tests of the 2026 Games.
