Thorisdottir’s five podiums (two wins, two runners-up and a third place) are the most among this group, but she hasn’t been on the podium since taking third in 2017. She’s been impressive this year though, especially considering she missed last season because she was having her first child. It may seem unlikely, but with more experience to draw on than anyone else and so much success to her name already, she still has to be considered in the podium conversation.

Davidsdottir is the other two-time champion (2015 and 2016) and she’s been the most consistent games performer other than Toomey. She has six straight top six finishes, including four podiums, and she was second last year. She’s still only 28 and arguably in the prime of her career. She’s as good a pick as any for another podium this year.

Many would argue Saunders is the fittest woman who has never won the games and it’s a solid case. Like Thorisdottir she took a year off to give birth in 2019. Last year she made it to stage one of the games but narrowly missed advancing to the final five. She’s been dominant this season, finishing third in the Open, second to Toomey in quarter-finals for Oceania, and winning her semi-final in commanding fashion.

We’re only three women into the conversation and already the problem is evident, there isn’t much room left on the podium.

Holte and Horvath have both finished second to Toomey before. Horvath did so in her rookie season (2018) and has been mostly underwhelming since then (finishing 15th and 24th). She has been great this year though, winning the European quarter-finals and finishing second at the Lowlands Throwdown. Her type of athleticism should bode well for the full breadth and depth we’re expecting at this year’s games, and many will be hoping for something similar to what she did in 2018.

Holte has been in the top 10 for the past four years and was second in 2019 (her only podium finish). She’s technically a Masters athlete at 35, but she won the German Throwdown and has shown no signs of slowing down.

There are a trio of underdog American women in Kari Pearce, Bethany Shadburne and Danielle Brandon, who have been training together under the watchful eye of Justin Cotler in Las Vegas for most of the past year. They were all placed in the same semi-final (West Coast Classic) where they swept the podium positions (Shadburne getting the win, Pearce second and Brandon third).

All three have had top 10 finishes at the games, Pearce doing so in the past five years culminating in a third place last season. Shadburne (seventh) and Brandon (10th) both managed the feat in 2019.

The last three on our list of possible podium contenders are the three youngest in the field – Haley Adams (20), Mallory O’Brien (17) and Emma Cary (17) – but all have competitive experience in the teenage divisions at the games.

Adams is by far the most accomplished of the group. Not only did she win in her final year as a teenager (2018), she has qualified in the elite division for the past two years and placed sixth in 2019 and fourth in 2020. Imagining her on the podium is not a far stretch.

O’Brien and Cary are still eligible for the teenage division. Cary won the girls’ 14-15 division in 2019 and O’Brien won the “replacement” competition last year for teenagers at the Pit Teen Throwdown, showing that they both have what it takes to win.

The notable thing about the two teens is how well they’ve done already this year. Cary was second in the Open, fourth in the North American quarter-final and third at the Granite Games. O’Brien was fifth, third and second respectively in the same competitions.

O’Brien also reeled off three consecutive event wins at the Granite Games, a rare feat at that stage of competition. In fact, the only other athlete to do so in a live competition during the semi-finals this year was Toomey.

While Toomey stands alone, the pack behind her is full of ferocious competitors, both young and old, who have a lot to fight for this year.