James Sprague is one of the youngest athletes to have won the title Fittest on Earth, but his path to the top of CrossFit® has been marked by challenges, injuries and, most recently, controversy surrounding his victory this year.
From his rise through the youth ranks to his 2024 title, James has shown extraordinary determination, even in difficult times. Below, we explore his career in detail.
Index
The Beginnings (2015-2019): The Promises of a Young Talent
James Sprague has discovered CrossFit® in 2015 thanks to his father, Patrick Sprague, a Games Masters athlete who used the sport to overcome addiction problems.
The discipline immediately attracted James, who began participating in CrossFit® classes. In 2016, he began competing in the teen division and, at just 15 years old, qualified for the Teen CrossFit® Games 2017, where he finished fourth overall.
2018 was a tough year for James Sprague. During the qualifying process for the Teen CrossFit® Games, suffered a accident to his right knee which forced him to stop.
Although he learned of the injury in February, he initially did not believe it was serious. However, as time went by, he realized that not having approached the recovery properly had made the situation worse.
As a result, he was forced to withdraw from the Granite Games, giving up the competition. Despite the injury, he maintained an optimistic outlook, trusting that “everything happens for a reason” and that God’s plan would guide him through this challenge.
At just 16 years old, he decided to join programming BRUTE Strength, determined to make a full recovery and return to competition within three months.
In 2019, Sprague competed again in the teen division, finishing fifth. First place was again Dallin Pepper and third place was Tudor Magda, both teammates and great friends.
The Minor Competition Phase (2020-2023): Perseverance and Progress
After leaving the teen division, James faced significant challenges in his transition to the individual division. In 2020, he competed in the CrossFit® Games for the first time as an individual, but was unsuccessful.
However, he started gaining experience and competed in prestigious competitions such as the SyndicateCrown, where he missed out on qualifying for the Games by just one point in 2022.
In 2021, he competed at the West Coast Classic Semifinal, but finished in 22nd place, once again missing out on the CrossFit® Games.
His first participation in the GAMES It happened in 2023, where he finished in 25th place, a result that still marked an important step forward in his career.
During this time, Sprague also participated in the Wodapalooza 2024, both as an individual and in a team. At the individual level, he obtained seventh place, while in the team Young Lads Strapping (with Jack Farlow and Benoit Boulanger), finished sixth.
Controversial Victory at the 2024 CrossFit® Games
2024 marked the pinnacle of James Sprague's career, but not without controversy. During the inaugural event, the tragic death of Lazar Djukic shocked the CrossFit® community.
Many athletes, including some of the top contenders for the title such as Jeffrey Adler and Laura Horvath, have decided to withdraw from the competition as a sign of respect.
Despite the tense atmosphere, James continued to compete. Throughout the competition, he maintained consistent top 10 positions, winning the event. Chad and getting a second place in the wod Dickies Triplet.
Brent Fikowski, who had started the final day wearing the leader's jersey, suffered one of his worst performances in the final event, allowing Sprague to overtake him and win the title Fittest on Earth.
However, the victory was perceived by some as controversial, as several prominent contestants did not participate in all of the trials.
Sprague proved he was up to the challenge, however, finishing in the top five in three of the final events to secure the title.
Looking at the future
With the title of Fittest on Earth 2024, James Sprague is now considered one of the most promising athletes in the CrossFit® scene. At just 22 years old, he has plenty of time to consolidate his status and aspire to future titles, following in the footsteps of legends such as Mat Fraser and Rich Froning.
His ability to remain calm under pressure and thrive through adversity bodes well for the future.
