Hatfield wins Crossfit Crash Crucible 

By Stephen Baldwin, RealWV

After bursting onto the national Crossfit scene in early 2023, Beckley resident Austin Hatfield is turning heads once again. This time he won the Crash Crucible, a Crossfit competition held in Spartanburg, SC, earlier this month.

“What got me the victory was being consistent,” Hatfield says. “There was good competition there, so it was no easy task.” 

Hatfield bested Colten Mertens, who is currently ranked 3rd in the world and 2nd in the United States. He also prevailed over James Sprag, a competitor Hatfield faced previously. 

The national semifinals this past winter was Hatfield’s first major competition. He turned heads by nearly qualifying for the prestigious Crossfit Games. The top twelve qualified, and he came in 13th. James Sprag finished 11th, taking one of the final spots Hatfield was fighting to secure. 

“I just went (to Crash Crucible) to get some experience under my belt,” Hatfield says, “so it felt good to get the victory.” 

Up next for Hatfield is the WODapalooza, an invite-only Crossfit competition in Miami, Florida. “I got 1st in the world in the qualifier,” adds Hatfield. “It’s one of the big competitions each year and has an $80,000 prize.” 

While Hatfield is still proving himself on the national stage, he is quickly making a name for himself. He has received some sponsorships and is receiving invitations to major competitions. 

“Not a lot of people know who I am,” Hatfield says. “I’m still proving myself.” 

He hopes to change all that by consistently performing at a high level and making it to the Crossfit Games in 2024. This year, they are being held in Texas with qualifiers beforehand to be announced in the coming months. 

Located at 314 South Fayette Street in Beckley, Hatfield’s gym is called Redline Fitness. It includes free weights and standard exercise equipment.