Mallory O'Brien

The CrossFit athlete Mal O’Brien fue CrossFit Games Rookie of the Year 2021 and, at only 18 years old, the youngest person to win the Open.

2024

Announces that it will not compete in 2024

En un vídeo publicado en Instagram, Mal O’Brien anuncia que no competirá en la temporada 2024 de CrossFit.

I feel very kind of at peace I would say. I felt very very overwhelmed and frustrated and anxious in the last few months and now being here in Hawaii has made me feel very peaceful and kind of like it's a new beginning for me.

My focus in general is definitely my well-being as a person because it's not something I've focused on most of the time.

That said I would like to say that I will not be competing in the 2024 season.

I really feel like it's not what I need in my life right now. I am focused on other areas and more important things in my life than competing.

Just because I won't be competing in the 2024 season doesn't mean I never will.

I'm not putting a timeline on anything and I'm letting time pass to see what feels best to me.

I will always be a part of the sport supporting the brands that have helped me get through this and the people who follow my journey, friends and athletes I know.

I will always train in some way, I think it will always be a part of me. I love working out. I love to train, push myself and I'm still planning on producing content. Creating some of my own stuff and having the freedom to train how I want and what feels good to my body.

If anything changes with that you will hear it from me first. I want to thank everyone who has always been supportive in this journey and understands that my well-being and overall health are the most important thing.

O’keefe no confirma su regreso

En una entrevista, Mat O’keefe, CEO de HWPO no termina de confirmar el regreso de Mal por lo que aumentan los rumores de que finalmente no regrese.

2023

Return

HWPO incluye a Mal O’Brien en la lista de atletas para la temporada 2024 por lo que todo apuntaba al regreso de la atleta.

End of the season

She announces that she will not participate in Semifinals, saying goodbye to the 2023 season. Mallory was one of the favorites to become the winner of the CrossFit Games 2023.

"Sometimes, we face personal challenges that demand our attention and care. It is important to prioritize our well-being and embrace the support of loved ones."

CrossFit Open 2023

Repeated victory in the Worldwide CrossFit Open for the second consecutive year.

Results
23.1: 2ª
23.2A: 1ST
23.2B: 107TH
23.3: 5ª

Wodapalooza 2023

She teamed up with Katrin Davidsdottir and Annie Thorisdottir and they finished in second place tied on points with the winners, the team from Laura HorvathGabriela Migala and Jamie Simmonds.

2022

ROGUE Invitational 2022

Sorprende que Mallory O’Brien no esté entre las participantes confirmadas para este evento.

CrossFit Games 2022

She finished the first and second day as leader of the stacked leaderboard. Finally, she finished 2nd, a spectacular result for such a young athlete.

Granite Games

She is proclaimed winner of the Granite Games with a great exhibition.

She was due to compete in the Atlas Games in Canada, but was finally moved to the Granite. Without specifying reasons, it is rumored that it could be due to vaccination restrictions to enter the neighboring country.

Quarterfinals

First in the North American region.

Open 2022

She won the Open by smashing the average position record with 1.3 (1st,2nd,1st) which until now was 3.2 and belonged to the English Samantha Briggs which was achieved in 2013.

In addition, she becomes the youngest athlete in history to win an Open at 18 years of age. Until now, this title was owned by Annie Thorisdottirwho won it at the age of 21.

After deciding to join Mat Fraser (HWPO) moves to Vermont to train under the guidance of the five-time CrossFit Games champion.

2021

Rogue Invitational

Receives invitation to the ROGUE Invitational and finished 8th.

CrossFit Games 2021

Won the title of Rookie of the year after being 7th in CrossFit Games 2021. It was her first year competing in the top division, although she already had experience as a teen.

Won event 4 in the Coliseum with a distance of 30 seconds over Tia-Clair Toomey.

Granite Games

Qualifies for the Games with a second place finish in this Semifinal in which she won 3 events and came 2nd in 2 others.

Just before the start of this competition, NOBULL announced that Mallory was joining its group of sponsored athletes.

Open 2021

Achieves a spectacular 5th place worldwide in the 2021 Open.

2020

For the first time she decides to take a sabbatical year to let his mind and body recover.

The athlete claims that she spent more time in the gym than at home and that this situation led to a low level of performance and overtraining.

Lyme disease

After several tests, she was diagnosed with Lyme, a disease whose effects can persist for months or even years after treatment.

Living with the tick-borne disease has been described by survivors as inhumane, painful, surreal, exhausting and isolating.. "When my symptoms were at their worst, I was not functioning well in general, at all.«, afirma Mallory O’Brien.

"I had many different problems, none of which seemed to be related, and I think that's why the doctors had so much trouble coming up with a diagnosis. The symptoms that affected me the most were headaches and exhaustion. The headaches were severe, daily and lasted all day long..» – decía O’Brien.

The Lyme disease can be difficult to diagnose., ya que los síntomas típicos imitan a otras afecciones como la fibromialgia, el síndrome de fatiga crónica y las enfermedades de Parkinson y Alzheimer. Finalmente, con mucha perseverancia y la ayuda y el apoyo de su familia, O’Brien fue diagnosticada correctamente y recibió tratamiento para comenzar el proceso de recuperación.

"After more than a year of going to different doctors and specialists trying to diagnose my symptoms, I learned in early 2020 that I had Lyme disease. I received treatment for Lyme in the spring of 2020, and it has changed my life for the better." – comentaba O’Brien.

2019

Finished 5th in the teen 14 - 15 division of the CrossFit Games 2019..

Cambia de entrenador y deja a Elijah Muhammad para unirse a Townsend’s Program.

Under Towsend, her Olympic lifting numbers would improve considerably, lifting 104 kg de clean & jerk y 82 de snatch con un peso corporal de 63 kg.

2018

In her first ever participation in CrossFit Games managed to finish 4th in the teen 14 - 15 division.

Before CrossFit

O’Brien practicó gymnastics since she was 3 years old and it was there that she developed his competitive drive. Later on, this would be transferred to track & field achieving several successes.

She ended up getting bored of those sports and tried to find new paths in different areas. Volleyball and dancing, among others.

Con 10 años, O’Brien acompañó a su madre a una clase en CrossFit Max Oxygen en Des Moines, Iowa. Se aficionó rápidamente a este deporte y se dio cuenta de que había encontrado algo especial. A los 14 años empezó a competir.

Mat Fraser ha comentado que cuando Mal O’Brien era una niña, esperaba en el párquing durante 4 horas hasta que los atletas de CrossFit salieran para poder saludarles, una de sus favoritas era Katrin Davidsdottir, actual compañera de entrenamientos.