HYROX pushing to become an Olympic sport

According to recent reports, the HYROX frenzy might actually be heading for the Olympic stage. The hybrid fitness challenge, dubbed the “World Series of Fitness Racing,” has exploded since its launch in 2017. Its latest milestone is the creation of an official HYROX Science Advisory Council (SAC) and the release of the inaugural Science of HYROX Report, designed to standardize the sport and build scientific credibility as part of its push for Olympic inclusion by 2032.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Launched at the London HYROX in early December, the SAC includes experts from Manchester Metropolitan University, ETH Zurich and Loughborough University. The group will oversee five research projects, organize an annual conference and publish a yearly report focused on athlete development, performance and safety.

Senior research fellow Dr. Adam Storey of the Sports Performance Research Institute of New Zealand says scientific credibility is crucial for HYROX’s development. “That’s what allows data to accumulate and insights to deepen over time,” he said. “It’s the same principle that made marathon running or Olympic lifting global benchmarks. Through the SAC, we’re turning competition into data.”

The strength-training boom

The initiative aligns with the global boom in strength training. Last week, Garmin released its annual Garmin Connect data report showing that strength training recorded the second-largest spike (29 per cent) of any activity on the platform, marking the fourth straight year it has grown by more than 20 per cent.

Earlier this month, HYROX also announced a partnership with California electric vehicle brand Lucid Motors, marking another milestone in the sport’s growth. “With HYROX now recognized as the newest discipline under the World Triathlon Federation, our ambition to one day stand on the Olympic stage feels more tangible than ever,” HYROX co-founder and chief marketing officer Moritz Fürste said. “We’re just getting started, and we couldn’t be more excited for the future of the sport.”

HYROX now takes place in more than 30 countries and saw more than 550,000 participants in 2025. For next year, the sport projects 1.3 million participants.

More about HYROX

HYROX became a global fitness phenomenon after 2021; it finally landed in Canada in 2024. Every race looks the same: a one-km run and a workout station, repeated eight times inside a massive indoor arena.

Workout stations include:

• 1 km on a ski erg (mimicking cross-country skiing)
• 50m weighted sled push
• 50m weighted sled pull
• Burpee broad jumps
• 1 km on a rowing machine
• 200m farmer’s carry (with kettlebells)
• Sandbag lunges
• 100 wall balls (squat and throw with medicine ball)

Divisions keep the event accessible to everyone, from beginners to gym rats: open (entry-level), pro (heavier weights), doubles (split with a partner) and relay (teams of four).