98 Games, April 2026.

400 competitors walked into the Royal Hall of Industries on Saturday and left having been part of something designed to feel bigger than just another fitness competition. The second edition of the 98 Games was built around pairs - two athletes, a single goal, every effort making a difference - and what unfolded across the day made a strong case that this format brings out the best in people.

Before any of that, though, there was Friday night.

140 people gathered for the Pre Game, fed by Pizza Oltra but drawn together by a more metaphorical hunger. The desire to know all there was to know about the competition ahead of time meant the event walk through and venue tour was packed out, and for many it was the first time seeing inside the professional athlete performance centre. The Q&A with CrossFit Games athlete Ricky Garard followed, and what made it resonate was not the accolades or the competition résumé - it was the mindset that our athletes recognised in themselves. The way Ricky spoke about preparation, consistency and the unglamorous work behind elite performance mirrored back exactly what the people in that room had already felt but hadn’t put a name to. It was an interview that felt less like a panel and more like a conversation. Having someone at Ricky's level articulate hard work and the mentality around it created a particular kind of energy heading into competition day - focused, settled and ready.

Saturday delivered.

The Royal Hall of Industries filled with over 1,200 spectators through the course of the day. A well-run competition has a rhythm to it, and this one found its rhythm early and held it. The 98-minute waterfall format - six events, continuous, in itself a test of resilience and fitness - kept the floor moving and the crowd engaged from the first heat to the last. There were moments that stopped people mid-conversation and pulled every eye to the floor. Among them: a 260kg three-rep max deadlift that drew the kind of reaction only a truly unreasonable lift can. For context, that is the weight of a fully grown male grizzly bear. Pulled from the floor three times. The room exploded.

The pairs format has a particular honesty to it. Every rep is shared or synced. Every rest is visible, yet the cost of one athletes rest is the work of the other partner, and it’s not lost on either competitors or crowds. Every moment of hesitation costs both athletes. What it produces - when partnerships are well-matched and prepared - is compelling to watch. Across Rookie, Intermediate and Elite, athletes from 98 and from gyms across the country pushed the standard higher than ever.

The podium told an interesting story. Seeing a mix of 98 athletes and competitors from other gyms standing at the top of their divisions is a sign that the 98 Games has become something the broader fitness community wants to win, not just attend.

That said, in the Elite Mixed division, the top three were all 98 - a clean sweep that reflected the depth of preparation within the community. First place went to Kate and her Brother, representing 98 Gym Riley Street. Second to LNS Lords from 98 Gym Neutral Bay and Milsons Point. Third to Gin and Juice, who made the trip from 98 Gym South Melbourne. Three gyms, one flag, and a podium that the 98 community are proud of.

To our partners - Sydney Swans, Rogue Australia, Concept2 Australia, PILLAR Performance, Red Bull, LiveFit Nutrition and REC GEN - thank you. The equipment, the athlete experience, the production quality: none of it exists without your belief in what we are building. You are not just sponsors on a banner. You are part of why this event feels the way it does, and we are grateful for it.

We now turn our attention to our next events; teams of four at the end of the year.

Roll on October.