Colten Mertens is a rising star in the CrossFit world. He is a four-time CrossFit Games competitor and a pig farmer from Iowa. He has a rare autoimmune disease that affects his eyes, brain, and spine, but he has not let that stop him from pursuing his passion for fitness. He is known for his strength, endurance, and grit, as well as his humility, friendliness, and faith.
He is in a relationship with Ally Zierke, another CrossFit athlete and coach. He lives on his family farm, where he raises pigs and crops. He is an inspiration to many people and a role model for the CrossFit community. This article will tell you everything you need to know about Colten Mertens, the muscle hamster with a mullet.
Early Life, Birthday and Background
Colten Mertens was born in 1997 (age: 26 years, as of 2023), in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. He grew up on a farm with his parents, Jeff and Lisa, and his siblings, Cody, Courtney, and Carley. He started lifting weights when he was 12 years old, following his father’s footsteps. He also played football, basketball, and baseball in high school.
Mertens discovered CrossFit in 2014, when he was 17 years old. He joined CrossFit Kilo in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and trained under coach Armand McCormick. He was inspired by the likes of Rich Froning, Mat Fraser, and Noah Ohlsen. He soon fell in love with the sport and decided to pursue it as a career.
Colten Mertens Wiki/Bio
| Name | Colten Mertens |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1997 |
| Place of birth | Mount Pleasant, Iowa |
| CrossFit affiliate | CrossFit Kilo |
| CrossFit coach | Armand McCormick |
| CrossFit Games appearances | 4 (2018, 2021, 2022, 2023) |
| CrossFit Games best finish | 18th (2023) |
| CrossFit Open best finish | 3rd (2023) |
| CrossFit Semifinal best finish | 1st (2023 North America West) |
| CrossFit team | CrossFit Kilo |
| CrossFit team best finish | 19th (2018) |
| CrossFit specialty | Strength, endurance, grit |
| CrossFit weakness | Gymnastics, swimming |
| CrossFit benchmark stats | Back squat: 555 lb, Clean and jerk: 335 lb, Snatch: 275 lb, Max pull-ups: 100, Run 5K: 19:45 |
| CrossFit favorite workout | Murph |
| CrossFit goal | To win the CrossFit Games |
| Occupation | Pig farmer |
| Girlfriend | Ally Zierke |
| Siblings | Cody, Courtney, Carley |
| Parents | Jeff and Lisa |
| Hobbies | Hunting, fishing, dirt biking |
| Favorite food | Bacon |
| Favorite movie | The Patriot |
| Favorite book | Lone Survivor |
| Favorite music genre | Country |
| Favorite animal | Pig |
| Favorite color | Red |
| Favorite quote | “Don’t let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game” by Babe Ruth |
| Medical condition | MOG antibody disease |
| Religion | Christian |
| Nationality | American |
CrossFit Career and Achievements
Colten Mertens made his CrossFit Games debut in 2018, as part of the CrossFit Kilo team. They finished 19th in the team division. He then switched to the individual division and qualified for the Games in 2021, 2022, and 2023. He placed 31st, 32nd, and 18th respectively, improving his ranking each year.
CrossFit Open 24.1: Mertens and von Rohr Top the Leaderboard
The first week of the 2024 CrossFit Open has come to an end, and the results are in. The leaderboard shows that Colten Mertens and Mirjam von Rohr have posted the fastest times for the 24.1 workout, which consisted of:
- 9 dumbbell snatches
- 9 lateral burpees over dumbbell
The workout had a 15-minute time cap and used a 50-lb dumbbell for men and a 35-lb dumbbell for women.
Mertens, a four-time CrossFit Games athlete from the US, completed the workout in an impressive 5:19, beating the second-place finisher, Taylor Self, by 21 seconds. Mertens did the workout at the new CrossFit PRVN facility in Nashville, Tennessee, where he trains with the reigning Fittest Woman on Earth, Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr. Mertens has not yet shared his video of the workout, but he is expected to do so soon.
Von Rohr, a newcomer to the CrossFit scene from Switzerland, finished the workout in 5:39, edging out the second-place finisher, Julia Hannaford, by 7 seconds. Von Rohr has a background in HYROX, a fitness competition that combines running and functional exercises. She won the 2022 HYROX European Championship and decided to try CrossFit in 2022. She made it to the Quarterfinals in 2022, but did not advance to the Semifinals. She has already posted her video of the workout on the CrossFit Games website.
Both Mertens and von Rohr will receive $2,024 as the winners of the 24.1 workout, pending video review by CrossFit. They will also earn 100 points for their respective divisions and regions, putting them in a good position to qualify for the next stage of the competition.
The 24.1 workout was announced on Thursday, March 2, 2024, at CrossFit Pleasanton in California. The announcement featured a four-way throwdown between Jeff Adler, Brent Fikowski, Alex Gazan, and Alexis Raptis, who competed in three workouts: Nasty Girls, 11.3, and 24.1. The winner of the throwdown was Fikowski, who also received the Golden Barbell Award, a new recognition for the Open announcement matchups and special members of the CrossFit community.
The second week of the 2024 CrossFit Open will start on Thursday, March 9, 2024, with the announcement of the 24.2 workout. The announcement will feature a head-to-head matchup between Justin Medeiros, the two-time Fittest Man on Earth, and Colten Mertens, the winner of the 24.1 workout. The announcement will take place at CrossFit
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Mertens is known for his strength, endurance, and grit. He can lift heavy weights, run fast, and endure pain. He has a back squat of 555 lb, a clean and jerk of 335 lb, and a snatch of 275 lb. He can also do 100 pull-ups unbroken and run a 5K in under 20 minutes.
Some of his notable performances include:
- Winning the 2023 North America West Semifinal, beating top athletes like Brent Fikowski, Cole Sager, and Samuel Kwant.
- Finishing third in the 2023 CrossFit Open, behind Patrick Vellner and Jonne Koski.
- Dominating the Ski-Bag event at the 2023 CrossFit Games, going unbroken on 200-lb sandbag squats and crushing the SkiErg.
- Placing fifth in the Granite Games in 2021 and 2022, earning his spot to the Games.
Mertens is also a humble and friendly person, who enjoys interacting with his fans and fellow competitors. He is often seen smiling, joking, and cheering on others. He has a loyal following on social media, where he posts about his training, his farm life, and his girlfriend.
Height, Weight
- Height: 5 feet 4 inches
- Weight: 175 lb
- Eye color: Blue
- Body measurements: Not available
- Skin color: White
- Hair color: Blonde
Profile
Wife and Relationships
Colten Mertens is in a relationship with Ally Zierke, a CrossFit athlete and coach. They met at CrossFit Kilo and have been dating since 2019. They often train together and support each other in competitions. They also share a love for animals and nature.
He lives on his family farm in Hillsboro, where he raises pigs and crops. He helps his father with the farm work and enjoys the rural lifestyle. He also likes to hunt, fish, and ride his dirt bike. He is a Christian and a patriotic American.
Colten Mertens has a rare autoimmune disease called myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody disease. It causes inflammation in the optic nerve, spinal cord, and brain. He was diagnosed with it in January 2023, after experiencing severe pain and vision loss. He spent five days in the hospital and received treatment. He was unsure if he could ever compete in CrossFit again, but he bounced back quickly and resumed his training. He credits CrossFit for his fast recovery and his resilience.
He is an inspiration to many people, especially those who suffer from chronic illnesses. He shows that nothing is impossible with hard work, faith, and determination. He is a living example of the CrossFit motto: “Forging Elite Fitness”.
Net Worth
| Year | Net Worth |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $500,000 – $750,000 |
| 2023 | $1.2 million |
| 2024 | $1.5 million |
Colten Mertens is a 26-year-old CrossFit athlete from Hillsboro, Iowa. He is a four-time CrossFit Games competitor and a pig farmer. He has overcome a rare autoimmune disease and achieved remarkable results in the sport of fitness. He is known for his strength, endurance, and grit, as well as his humility, friendliness, and faith. He is in a relationship with Ally Zierke, a CrossFit athlete and coach. He lives on his family farm, where he raises pigs and crops. He is an inspiration to many people and a role model for the CrossFit community.
