2026 CrossFit Open Live Announcement - 26.1 Athletes Revealed

The first live announcement of the 2026 CrossFit Open, presented by Air National Guard, is going to be absolute cinema! Open Workout 26.1 will feature Jayson Hopper vs. Dallin Pepper vs. Colten Mertens vs. Austin Hatfield! On Thursday, Feb. 26, four of the best athletes in the sport will be throwing down live from Moffett Federal Airfield, home of the 129th Rescue Wing, a California Air National Guard unit. Right after they throw down, four Airmen will take on 26.1 themselves. Athletes: 🏋️‍♂️ Jayson Hopper The reigning CrossFit Games champ is ready to defend his title. 🥇Hopper started the 2025 season by finishing sixth overall in the CrossFit Open. He ended it standing atop the Games podium with the title of Fittest Man on Earth. Hopper proved that he is now the top dog in our sport. Only one question remains in 2026: Will we get another music video dedicated to the dyeing of his hair? #byebyebye 🏋️‍♂️ Dallin Pepper In 2024, Dallin Pepper took second at the CrossFit Games. In 2025, he was one of the favorites to stand atop the podium. Pepper finished second in the 2025 Open and was primed to make a run at the Games podium. Instead, Pepper took a slight step back, just missing the podium, taking fourth overall. Now, in 2026, the former CrossFit Games Teenage Champion is ready to cement his name as the Fittest Man on Earth. 🏋️‍♂️ Colten Mertens Colten Mertens won the 2025 CrossFit Open with the most dominant performance we have seen on the men’s side. Two event wins and a second place ensured that the Open title currently belongs to Mertens. Mertens didn’t have the same success at the 2025 Games, finishing 12th overall. But now in 2026, Mertens has his sights set on another Open win and the top of the Games podium. 🏋️‍♂️ Austin Hatfield Austin Hatfield’s rise in the sport of CrossFit has been meteoric. In his rookie season at the 2024 Games, he finished 10th overall. He followed that up in 2025 by finishing fourth in the CrossFit Open and fifth at the Games, including two event wins. Now he’s aiming his sights even higher. Will Hatfield continue his rise right to the podium in 2026? Tune in: 🗓️ Feb. 26, 2026 ⏰ 12 p.m. PT — Open Workout 26.1 announced 📺 CrossFit Games website and YouTube channel Musicbed Sync ID: MB01JVHECDWAR0K — The CrossFit Games are the ultimate proving grounds for the Fittest Man and Fittest Woman on Earth™ and are world-renowned as the definitive test of fitness. Learn more about the CrossFit Games → https://cf.games/games-learn-more Learn more about CrossFit → https://www.crossfit.com/what-is-crossfit/?utm_source=social&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=crossfit Find a CrossFit gym near you → https://www.crossfit.com/map?utm_source=social&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=crossfit View CrossFit workouts → https://www.crossfit.com/workout?utm_source=social&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=crossfit Subscribe to CrossFit email newsletters → https://www.crossfit.com/newsletters/?utm_source=social&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=crossfit