Mal O’ Brien

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dylan511

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What do you think about Mal? Is she the next Fittest on Earth? Do you think she’ll be relevant for some seasons then set back?

I think she has potential and probably she and Medeiros will become the next Mat & Tia
 
@dylan511 The way she handled those 135# thrusters was insanely impressive. I didn’t know about her until the games. Couldn’t believe a 17 year old could beat Tia like that!

It’s a really high bar to compare anyone to Tia, Fraser, or Froning until they win though. She has amazing potential.
 
@patto I think we got some insight into how mentally tough/stubborn she is, lord knows she had decided she was not dropping that bar lol. You can learn to harness and temper that (when needed) but you can’t “learn” tenacity
 
@dylan511 Honestly its gonna be interesting to see how these teen athletes do in the future since we have never had this opportunity before. Will they burn out? Will they become dominate? Will the even younger generation come up better? We just gotta wait and see but I dont see Tia losing anytime soon as long as she's enjoying it!
 
@dylan511 Mal is impressive and has potential, but it's too early to tell. Remember Brooke Wells at 19, winning the Central regional? Everyone thought she was going to be the next great female CrossFitter. She has had a good career, but you could arguably say that was the high point so far.

I don't see it with Medeiros.
 
@dylan511 I think this talk of 'next Mat or Tia' is a long, long way off from happening. can she win? sure.

Her, Cary, and Haley I think to me seem to embody a third of what make up Tia - Ma's strength is impressive, Haley's cardio + classic CF capacity is preternatural, and Cary I think seems to be a kind of hybrid between the two but lower in each aspect.

So, just based on this, I think long-term Cary has a better 'general' prospect over the either two because she seems better 'balanced,' but definitely possible for any of them to edge it long term.

But sports and pressure are fickle things - I think arguably Sara in 2015/16 when she finished 3rd and was dominating seemed to be the next 'big thing' but she arguably hasn't lived up to it. Hindsight is 20/20 and yes, Mal/Cary/Haley all seem super dialed in and what not, but I think we'll see what happens when actually winning becomes a live possibility for them. Right now there's really no pressure since no one, not even their parents, can rationally believe they can win the title right now
 
@dylan511 She is definitely a force for years to come, but she still has a way to go. She is very in classic CrossFit WOD's. But the biggest strength is that she understands her body so well, and carries that confidence into competition...

I was actually thinking about it recently, why Tia stands out so much more... Is because she has the tenacity to simply not let anyone one else win. It's not like her body is structured different. They all train full time. Her edge really is her mindset, something we only see glimpses of in the other girls

Medeiros... I like the kid. He seems to be the same physical stature as Fraser, and has a great vibe to him. He'll def be a podium finisher for a few years, but we really gotta see how he does this year. Looking like it will be him, Vellner, or Fikowski fighting for the top spot (just my prediction based on their skill sets)

PS- I just love what Mal, Emma Cary, and Haley bring to the table for young women and youth in general. It shows these kids their potential.

ALSO- Look at Emma Lawson, she'll come up next year. She could be the next Brooke Wells!
 
@dylan511 I think Haley Adams is the next games champ after Tia retires. She has a Sam Briggs-type engine, and she's only going to get stronger as she's currently very young in her own right.
 
@dylan511 I think she has that "hate to lose more than she loves to win" mentality and that makes her a dangerous competitor and podium contender. Hopefully getting one on Tia compounds her confidence and keeps her on the attack for the rest of the weekend.
 
@dylan511 She is on another level. Tia wouldn't be able to beat Mal if Tia was 18. (I know that's a ridiculous thing to say, but the next gen is on another level)

The field is going to get tighter and tighter, but Mal is the real deal. I don't think we'll ever see a dominant run the likes of mat and Tia, but Mal will be a games champ, and a perennial contender/ podium finisher.
 
@dylan511 Medeiros is 100% not going to be the next dominant figure.

Mal on the other hand fits the bill for future dominance better than anyone else, just needs a better coach: ideal body proportions, controlled tenacity, and sustainable movement patterns. Age isn’t really a factor except for experience, physically that is close to peaking age.
 
@acts2416 I disagree on needing a better coach. James Townsend is the real deal. He’s developed Mal in to what she is now. The dude knows his stuff and how to develop athletes. She is 17, she just need more time in the games to develop that sixth sense for in person games competition.
 
@dylan511 If she stays healthy, she will be a multi year winner. Probably needs a year or two to get the mental game down and really find out what her weaknesses are. Once she gets that first win though, it’s probably over for the rest of the field for a while.
 
@dylan511 I think that event 4 is really going to be her statement of intent.

The potential is there, but she still needs to grow in to the role a lot. However good that event win was, she’s got a long road ahead of her if she’s going to de-throne Tia.

Insanely impressed with her in that event though - she deserves soooo much credit for that display.
 
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