Will Powell competed at the CrossFit Games nine times in the Masters division. From 2013 to 2022, Powell would compete at the highest level, including four CrossFit Games championships. In 2017, Powell was diagnosed with lung cancer and today, after battling cancer for the past seven years, Powell passed away.
Powell won the Masters CrossFit Games three consecutive years from 2014 through 2016. His first championship came in the 50-54 year-old division with the next two in the 55-59 division.
In 2017, however, Powell competed despite his cancer diagnosis. According to Powell, he had a “cantaloupe” size tumor on his left lung and even with diminished lung capacity. Powell took 12th place overall.
Powell had surgery to remove the tumor shortly after the 2017 CrossFit Games. He returned to the CrossFit Games the following year.
He would go on to qualify and compete at every CrossFit Games through 2022 (except 2020 when the Masters CrossFit Games were canceled). In 2021, Powell would win his 4th CrossFit Games title. This time in the 60-64 year-old division.
It was the first time any Masters athlete had won a Games title in three different age group divisions.
Later that year, Powell’s tumor had returned where he had surgery once again to remove the tumor that had returned. Powell would again return to the CrossFit Games the final time in 2022.
In May 2023, Powell underwent another surgery to remove tumors throughout his pleura, the membrane that covers the lungs and lines the inside of the chest cavity.
Following months of chemotherapy, Powell would compete in the 2024 CrossFit Open one more time.
