Did Taylor Self just reveal that Mal O’Brien is planning to return to competitive CrossFit? Last night during the CrossFit Update Show on the CF Network, Self asked the group if Mal was coming back “because isn’t she competing at Wodapalooza?”
Self then said someone told him that she was competing. As things unfolded Self said he couldn’t reveal who told him that, but then clarified that he was told she would compete on an elite team of 3 at the 2027 Wodapalooza Miami. Bryson was clearly part of the same conversation.
When Sevan pressed them on who her teammates might be, things got a bit awkward as it appeared Bryson and Taylor wanted to “tip toe it back”.
Watch the 54 second clip below:
What do you think? Will Mal be back in 2027? And if this is true, who has that knowledge and then told Taylor and Bryson?
Mal O’Brien abruptly stopped competing in the middle of the 2023 CrossFit Games season. After taking 2nd place in 2022, O’Brien was one of the favorites heading into the 2023 season…especially with Tia-Clair Toomey out because she was pregnant.
O’Brien then moved to Hawaii and then moved back to Iowa, where she currently resides. She has been relatively quiet on social media, although last month she shared a couple posts of her in the gym doing back squats and squat snatches, both buried in the middle of carousel posts.
Doing some back squats and snatches doesn’t necessarily equal a comeback, but pair it with what Taylor said last night and maybe those two add up to Mal back on the competition floor in 2027.
