CrossFit Games

Haley Adams Will Not Compete in 2023 CrossFit Games Season

February 16, 2023 by and
Photo Credit: Enrique Villaseñor (@enriquevmedia)
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On the day of the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit 23.1 announcement, a leader on the elite women’s side, Haley Adams, announced she will not be competing in the 2023 CrossFit seasons, citing personal reasons. 

Adams, 22, started CrossFit at the young age of 14 and has made a name for herself in the sport, training under the watchful eye of Rich Froning the last couple of seasons, with her best finish as an elite individual being fourth place in 2020.  

Details: “It’s been my everything for a very long time,” said Adams in a post on Instagram. 

  • Adams cited focusing on her mental health as a primary reason for her season off: “I’ve battled with an eating disorder, and have struggled with my mental health ever since. I’ve suffered in silence, and because of the pressure to make everything seem “okay”, I kept a smile on my face. It’s been a hard few years, when every single day is a battle,” she said. 
  • “But now, it’s time to put me first. I will be stepping away from competing this season, and as sad and difficult as it is to make this decision, I’m equally excited to find who Haley is again.” 
  • “I will be using this time to work on myself, as much mentally as physically, so that I’m no longer holding myself back. This isn’t just a new chapter, it’s a new book. The 2024 comeback is going to be big.”

Adams adds, she has faced “immense pressure” that started to impact her in negative ways and she no longer enjoyed the sport, leading her to this decision. 

Remind Me: At just 22 years old, Adams has racked up seven CrossFit Games appearances between the teenage and individual divisions. 

  • Adams placed fourth in the 2020 COVID CrossFit Games and has stood on the teenage podium three times, in 2016, 2017, and 2018.
  • As an in-house athlete at CrossFit Mayhem, Adams has become a key part of the culture in Cookeville, with training partners like Gui Malheiros, Rich Froning, and Baylee Rayl. She is coached by Tasia Percevecz 

The bottom line: Adams is part of a growing list of athletes to call themselves out for the 2023 Games season, including Kara Saunders, Tia-Clair Toomey, and Lucy Campbell. The women’s field especially is shaping up to be a completely different beast than ever before seen. 

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