Quincy native Dancer wins individual age division championship at CrossFit games

MADISON, Wis. — The only thing beating Sam Dancer was injury.

That didn’t happen this time.

A year ago at the CrossFit Games, a biceps injury cost the Quincy native the opportunity to compete for an individual championship. A year later, the Alliant Energy Center crowd saw what a healthy Dancer is capable of doing.

That’s dominate.

Thursday, Dancer put the finishing touches on the championship of the men’s 35-39 age division by winning his third individual event and showcasing he’s more than brute strength and power. His improved athleticism and speed helped carry him to this crown.

“I have traditionally been a bigger, stronger guy, and I’ve worked really hard to kind of redefine myself and refine myself into being a little bit more well-rounded,” the 36-year-old Dancer told the CrossFit Games media staff following the first of three days of competition.

This is the second time Dancer, who played football at both Quincy Notre Dame and Western Illinois University, has stood on the podium at the CrossFit Games.

In 2018, Dancer led the Invictus team to a second-place finish. He also has been talked about in CrossFit circles as one of the strongest competitors ever after a 615-pound deadlift during the 2016 team competition.

This time, he did more than showcase strength, beginning on day one.

Dancer won the Farmer’s Field event, which is a a down-and-back chipper of farmers carries, burpee Pig jump-overs, wall-ball shots, and rowing. Dancer blew away the field by finishing in 10 minutes, 55.62 seconds — nearly 10 seconds faster than any other competitor.

He also won the pulling power event and the endure the coliseum event. He finished no lower than sixth in any event and compiled 650 total points. Ioannia Papadopoulos of Greece finished second with 580 points.

“I love to compete and I just feel like I was made to be out there,” Dancer told the CrossFit Games staff. “It’s where I feel like myself the most.”