Cringle and Sprague claim 2026 CrossFit Games titles in San Jose

Aimee Cringle and James Sprague left San Jose as the 2026 CrossFit Games champions after 20 scored events at the SAP Center, and both titles were won by controlling the race when the pressure peaked. Sprague had to turn back Dallin Pepper on the final day, while Cringle had the women’s field effectively boxed out before Sunday even arrived.

Sprague’s finish carried the sharper historical edge. He became the first athlete to win a second CrossFit Games title in a non-consecutive fashion, a distinction that gives this run more weight than a simple repeat. CrossFit’s own celebration of the result labeled him a two-time Fittest Man on Earth, and the result came after a weekend that demanded steady scoring across a wide range of tests rather than one standout performance.

Cringle’s path was more decisive. The Isle of Man athlete won in her third appearance at the Games and collected five event wins, including tests that asked for running, deadlifting and cycling. She also arrived with an unusual backstory for a champion: CrossFit’s own post noted that she went from 5,446th in the CrossFit Open to 13th at the 2024 Games before breaking through in 2026. CrossFit also identified her as the only British woman in the field, a detail that underscored how far she had climbed to reach the top step.

The format mattered as much as the names. CrossFit said the 2026 Games were presented by Air National Guard and marked the 20th anniversary of the competition, with the season finale staged July 24-26 in San Jose. Twenty scored events forced athletes to stay sharp across a compressed, high-volume test, and that structure helped separate the eventual champions from the rest of the field.

By the final day, the leaderboard told a clear story. Sprague’s margin over Pepper never evaporated, and Cringle had already done enough damage to make the women’s race feel settled before the last day’s pressure hits. That combination of control and consistency is what will define this Games long after the podium picture fades. Heading into next season, Cringle and Sprague are the standards everyone else has to beat.