CrossFit is a trademarked fitness program comprised of diverse functional movements executed at rigorous intensity levels. The CrossFit Games engage athletes in unconventional workouts, crowning winners as the “Fittest on Earth.”
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As a major player of the health and wellness space, CrossFit holds a series of global competitions to crown some of the top fitness athletes around the world. Their annual program, the NOBULL CrossFit Games, became the foundation for a new type of sports recognition.
CrossFit had an opportunity to take their event awards to a whole new level. As a program that is used to taking the untraditional route when it comes to health and fitness, CrossFit sought to provide their athletes a chance to behold something other than a circular medallion. They envisioned medallions unique to their character and branding, while also showcasing the figurative and literal weight of the monumental achievement of winning in the games.
Before coming to Cristaux, CrossFit’s previous vendor crafted the medallions using an o-ring. Sometimes, this o-ring was fashioned on the top of the medallion, and sometimes, it was secured to the back. While this is a traditional approach for medallions, it leads to substantial wear and tear, causing the medallions to break off of the ribbon.
Using barbells as inspiration, our Creative Team set out to craft something that any athlete would be proud to wear.
Instead of one mold per piece, 3 molds create 15 different types of medallions, keeping costs down.
CrossFit was looking for a new path forward with a redesign. We knew individuals that lifted large amounts of weight for sport deserved an honor that was equally substantial in weight.
Instead of an o-ring that would break easily, especially the heavier the medallion got, we needed to come up with a way to guarantee a quality, weighted medal that could be admired for years to come.
Originally, we thought soldering or creating a different type of shape would help mitigate this challenge. In turn, we were met with an additional road bump: during the CrossFit games, winners are announced in realtime, so these medallions needed to be versatile depending on what competition or event was taking place. Soldering the medallions wouldn’t allow CrossFit to switch out medals to offer different ribbons for various achievements. Instead, it was time for Cristaux to make something that checked off all the boxes.
The CrossFit NOBULL medallions became just that- something that covered all the bases for what this sports award program needed. With a cool design, optimal function, and branded elements, awards manufacturing truly came to life.
As these events sometimes have many different categories of achievement, there are many layers to these medallions. Instead of changing the molds each year which can be costly, we have roughly twelve different permutations of the medallion while using only three different molds. Using zinc die casted, steel molds, we embedded the first, second and third place identifiers into the mold.
For the design itself, we deferred from the beaten path. We gave these original medallions a paint splatter effect for a unique finish. Working with our vast vendor network, we were able to source fabrics for the medallion ribbons that closely matched the CrossFit NOBULL branded colors.
As the years have progressed, so have the medallion designs. Updated designs honor the authenticity of traditional awards through classic gold, silver, and bronze finishes—while embracing a modern aesthetic. With sharper, more defined edges, the updated silhouette reflects the grit, determination, and precision required to earn each piece. These medallions blend timeless tradition with bold, contemporary design, making every win feel both historic and hard-earned.
