Mat Fraser (athlete)


Mathew "Mat" Fraser is an American professional CrossFit athlete known for winning the 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 CrossFit Games after taking second place at the 2014 and 2015 CrossFit Games. After a strong performance in 2014, and the retirement of 4-time defending champion Rich Froning Jr., he was a favorite to win in 2015, but was edged out in the final event by Ben Smith. The following year, Fraser took first place by a commanding margin, and Smith took second. Fraser is the second person to win four consecutive CrossFit Games titles, with Rich Froning Jr. being the first.
He is the son of Canadian Olympic figure skaters Don Fraser and Candace Jones.

CrossFit Games results

Training

Fraser came from an Olympic weightlifting background before injuring his back in 2009. Since switching to CrossFit, he has not followed any sort of routine training program due to the constantly varied movements found in CrossFit and the CrossFit Games. In 2017, he moved to Cookeville, Tennessee.
Before the 2015 CrossFit Games, he did not maintain a strict diet and would often eat an entire pint of ice cream or a half dozen donuts. After coming in second to Ben Smith in 2015, he changed to a more strict diet and dropped ten pounds, although he still does not adhere to a specific diet such as paleo or counting macros, which is common in CrossFit. Fraser tends to eat four to five big meals a day which include mainly meat and vegetables, along with sticky white rice.
In preparation for the 2019 CrossFit Games, he trained regularly with reigning female champion Tia-Clair Toomey and her coach/husband Shane Orr.