Samuel Kwant finishes strong on day two, but is still way behind Mat Fraser.
Source:
https://scmp.com/sport/outdoor/crossfit/article/3106965/crossfit-games-2020-day-two-mat-fraser-overtakes-hard Crossfit
CrossFit Games 2020 day two: Mat Fraser wins every event, has unbeatable lead for ‘Fittest on Earth’
- Champion Mat Fraser continues his winning ways on day two, taking a staggering and unassailable 435-point lead
- Jeffrey Adler moves into second place in four-way fight for remaining two podium places
Mat Fraser is at it again on day two, winning. Photos: CrossFit Games
In the final event on the second day of the CrossFit Games, the athletes headed back to the ranch in Aromas, California, with Mat Fraser already wearing the crown of “Fittest on Earth” again.
Fraser continued his absolute domination of the competition, taking a staggering 435-point lead, with only three events and a maximum 300 points up for grabs. It is his fifth straight title.
Fraser leads with 875 points followed by Jeffrey Adler (440), Samuel Kwant (415), Justin Medeiros (395) and Noah Ohlsen (395).
The five men are competing for the title “Fittest on Earth”. A 30-athlete first leg was held in September and the top five progressed to this weekend’s finals. The winner will receive US$300,000.
Fraser got out to a healthy lead right away in the Happy Star event which featured four rounds of 200m to 300m hill runs and incrementally increasing reps of burpee thrusters. The win was his 27th career event win at the CrossFit Games. He was followed by Kwant, Adler, Ohlsen and Medeiros.
Kwant, who moved into third place at the end of the day, said even though Fraser has all but won the title, he’s still giving it 100 per cent.
“It doesn’t make too much of a difference for me, I’m giving everything I have.”
Asked if he wants to see anything specifically on the final day from Games director Dave Castro, Kwant said: “I’d like to see some peg boards, I mean whatever Dave throws at us it is good, unless Dave throws another workout at us again out of nowhere.”
Event three, day two – Bike Repeater
Fraser
broke away from the pack early in the Bike Repeater event, which saw athletes do 10 rounds of a 440m bike sprint with a legless rope climb per round. Fraser once again held off rookie Medeiros, who tried to close the gap on the veteran early in the race. Fraser matched his training partner Tia-Clair Toomey, who won the women’s race.
Adler then overtook Medeiros late in the event, while Kwant finished fourth and Ohlsen was last. Fraser held off a late surge from Adler, who picked up steam, but by the end of the event Fraser had widened the gap again.
Adler said he emptied the tank trying to overtake the champion.
“By round eight and then on the ninth round I passed him a little bit,” said Adler. “And I knew it would be a sprint on the 10th, but I couldn’t keep up, he went hard.”
Canadian Adler moved into second place in the overall standings with the second place finish in the event, which he said was a bit of a surprise given he doesn’t get on the bike a lot.
“That was unexpected, I didn't think I would finish in the top three, I don't practice the bike that much.”
Event two, day two – Snatch Speed Triple
Fraser had won five of six events heading into the snatch speed triple event, and it became six out of seven at the Games.
Athletes had to do three snatches as quickly as possible. The slowest was eliminated. The four remaining athletes progressed to a semi-final, and the slowest was once again cut. The last three competed for the winning spot.
Fraser won the first heat with Adler, who is known for being able to lift heavy weights, right on his heels. Third was Kwant, then Ohlsen and Medeiros was eliminated in the quarter-final.
In the semi-final, Fraser won handily as the other three couldn’t lift 265lb on their first chances. Kwant came second, with Adler third and Ohlsen was eliminated.
In the final, Fraser was unable to hit 285lb on his first try but was able to nail his second rep and hold off Adler and Kwant. Fraser said he knew Adler was going to be his stiffest competition.
Jeffrey Adler is one of the athletes trying to keep up with Mat Fraser.
“We’ve been having some fun banter in the back just saying who’s going to beat who,” said Fraser about chatting with Adler. “There’s no doubt Adler is the strongest guy out here.”
Fraser was asked if he is approaching 2020’s scaled down version of the Games any different to other years.
“There aren’t really any differences for me. I like that there is no music, I like that there is no crowd, I’m just looking next to the guys beside me.”
Event one, day two – Toes-to-bar/lunge
Ohlsen came out flying in the first event, toes-to-bar/lunge, but four-time reigning champion Fraser was having none of it.
Event six, the first workout of day two, was 30 reps of toes-to-bar and 24kg kettlebell lunges, followed by 20 reps and then 10 reps of the same.
Ohlsen led up until the halfway point when Fraser went into beast mode and overtook him to take the win, with rookie sensation Medeiros coming third, followed by Kwant and Adler. Fraser said he definitely had to chase down last year’s runner-up, who challenged Fraser at the 2019 CrossFit Games.
“He was like a rabbit out in front of me,” said Fraser. “He did great in those first toes-to-bars.”
Fraser said he didn’t feel impacted by apparent slip issues due to wet grass. “I didn’t feel my grip at all, the lunges on paper look super simple, but they really add up.”
Mat Fraser, four-time ‘Fittest on Earth’, going for another title.
Fraser also brushed off the notion that he is thinking about winning his fifth title.
“I’m not focused on that, I’m focused on one event at a time.”