Congratulations to all the athletes who competed in the 2026 Donor Games Championship. This year, 21 elite donor and recipient athletes traveled to Connecticut to showcase their incredible health and fitness at our sixth annual Championship. The athletes gave their all, and by the end of the event, two new champions had emerged.
Men’s Division Results
The first event, the Bench Press Ladder, set the stage for a hard-fought competition, with four athletes surpassing 315 pounds. After 325 pounds knocked out Eric Walano and Garet Hil, it was down to Blair Casey and David Tatum. In a bold move, Blair bypassed 335 pounds and jumped straight to 345, successfully completing the lift. David was unable to match it, giving Blair the victory.
The Rudder 2.0 proved to be a grueling test and the first major shakeup of the competition. After finishing in the middle of the pack in the first event, rookie Hunter Lydon stormed back with a winning time of 5:33, putting himself into title contention. David wasn’t far behind, posting another impressive performance with a sub-seven-minute finish. His second consecutive runner-up finish gave him a commanding three-point lead over Hunter and a five-point cushion over Blair heading into the final event. After struggling with the legless rope climbs, defending champion Eric was knocked out of contention. With just one workout remaining, the Championship appeared destined to come down to David and Hunter.
After coming up short in the Rudder, Eric came roaring back with an event-winning 532 reps in the Heavy Murph AMRAP 20M, catapulting him to third place overall. Hunter continued his late charge, finishing second in the event with 498 reps. His performance put the pressure squarely on David, who needed a fourth-place finish or better to take the top podium spot. David answered the challenge, tallying 426 reps to finish fourth in the event and clinch the title by just one point.
David’s win was one of the most inspiring moments in Donor Games history. As an active dialysis patient, his dedication and resilience made him a deserving champion and an inspiration to the entire community. To learn more about David’s journey, register as a potential kidney donor on his behalf, or spread awareness by sharing his story, visit his National Kidney Registry microsite.
Women’s Division Results
The women’s heat of the Bench Press Ladder opened the competition with the most thrilling finish of the competition. After Roni Hays, Mimi Mahon, and McKenzie Winland all successfully cleared 165 pounds, only Mimi and McKenzie were able to advance past 175, setting up a head-to-head battle at the final ladder weight of 185. Both athletes missed their first attempts, but with one final chance, McKenzie stepped back to the bar and delivered when it mattered most. She successfully pressed 185 pounds, becoming the only woman to complete the ladder and claiming the event victory in dramatic fashion.
The Rudder 2.0 brought plenty of surprises and caused a dramatic leaderboard shakeup heading into the final event. After a fifth-place showing in the first event, Courtney Cox got back on track with the fastest Rudder time of the entire competition at 4:48 to earn the event win. McKenzie continued to shine in her first-ever Championship, putting up an outstanding time of 5:49 to take second place. Kara Cain Smock turned in a phenomenal time of 6:36 to secure third place.
In a shocking turn of events, five-time Donor Games Champion Mimi struggled with grip fatigue and the rope climbs, leaving her unable to finish before the time cap. This result created a major shift in the overall standings. With one event remaining, McKenzie found herself in control of the Championship race, holding a three-point advantage over Courtney heading into the finale.
After Mimi was unable to continue due to cramping from repeated drops from the rope, the Women’s Division became a showdown between McKenzie and Courtney, with the Heavy Murph AMRAP 20M serving as the decisive final test. Courtney charged out to an early lead and never looked back, posting an incredible 545 reps to win her second consecutive event victory.
Despite being edged out by Roni for second place, McKenzie’s third-place finish in the final event secured her overall victory, holding off Courtney by just one point. McKenzie’s victory carried added significance. Competing while pregnant with her second child, her grit and unwavering determination left everyone in awe. McKenzie also became the first double donor (kidney and liver) to win the Donor Games Championship.
Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to all participants for continuing to demonstrate the amazing health and fitness of living donors, transplant recipients, and dialysis patients. For more on the 2026 Championship, please visit the Donor Games website.
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