Founded in 2014, Huami is a global leader in smart wearable technology and the company behind the Amazfit brand of smartwatches and fitness trackers. It is also the exclusive wearable technology partner for Xiaomi, producing the popular Mi Band series. Headquartered in Mountain View, California, Huami develops innovative wearables that help millions worldwide lead healthier, more active lives.
Building Confidence Through HYROX: Stephanie Shabanov-Leong
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7 Jul 2026 - 15 hours ago
Long before she discovered HYROX, Stephanie Shabanov-Leong found confidence through sport. A former 400m sprinter who competed from the age of nine, she later developed a passion for boutique fitness while living in New York, before embracing cycling during a stint in Hamburg.
Back in Singapore, she spent a decade balancing corporate roles with coaching before deciding in early 2026 to leave the corporate world and pursue coaching full-time.
"When I discovered HYROX, it felt like the perfect intersection of every stage of my journey," she says. "The running foundation from track and field, the functional fitness I discovered in New York, the endurance mindset I developed through cycling and my passion for coaching and community."
Since making the transition to HYROX, Shabanov-Leong has established herself as one of Singapore's leading athletes in the sport. Competing across the Pro, doubles and relay divisions, she has amassed multiple podium finishes and top-10 results at events around the world.
Today, the HYROX Pro athlete and coach is also an Amazfit ambassador, using the brand's wearables to guide both training and recovery. For Shabanov-Leong, the appeal goes beyond chasing podium finishes.
"If I can help someone discover confidence in themselves through movement, that's a win far bigger than any podium finish."
Up close and personal with Stephanie
RUNSG: What keeps you motivated in HYROX?
Stephanie: Crossing the finish line is rewarding, but for me, the real achievement is becoming someone you're proud of throughout the journey. That's what keeps me motivated. I often joke that HYROX is therapy—except instead of talking about your problems, you're pushing a heavy sled while your friends cheer you on.
RUNSG: What does a typical week look like for you?
Stephanie: A typical week includes three to four runs, two to three strength sessions and one or two HYROX-specific workouts. I'm a big believer that the goal isn't to train the hardest—it's to train consistently.
RUNSG: What's the biggest lesson HYROX has taught you?
Stephanie: Consistency beats intensity and patience beats ego. Progress isn't always linear. Success rarely comes from one perfect session or race—it comes from showing up, doing the work and trusting the process.
RUNSG: How does Amazfit support your training?
Stephanie: HYROX training involves balancing high-intensity efforts with recovery, and the watch helps me make data-driven decisions rather than relying purely on motivation. I track training load, heart rate trends, sleep quality and recovery metrics to understand how my body is responding.
As someone who genuinely loves training hard, my watch is often the voice of reason.
RUNSG: How do you use the watch on race day?
Stephanie: I primarily use the HYROX Race Mode. Amazfit is currently the only smartwatch brand with an official HYROX Race Mode. It helps me monitor pacing and heart rate and prevents me from going out too hard early. It's also incredibly helpful to keep track of which station I'm going to next.
RUNSG: What advice would you give first-time HYROX athletes?
Stephanie: Sign up before you feel ready. Confidence doesn't come before action—it comes from taking action. Focus on consistency, respect the running and remember that everyone looks slightly confused during their first wall balls.
Most importantly, enjoy the process. The finish line lasts a few seconds, but the person you become during training stays with you much longer.
RUNSG: Do you think Amazfit is a good choice for athletes of all levels?
Stephanie: Definitely. I think one of the biggest misconceptions is that you need to be an elite athlete to benefit from all this data. In reality, it’s probably even more useful when you’re just starting out because it helps take the guesswork out of training.
I use my Amazfit Active 3 Premium every single day. I look at my Training Load, Recovery Time, Readiness, VO₂ Max, heart rate zones and sleep tracking to decide what my body actually needs—not just what my ego wants to do.
I’m the type of person who would happily train hard seven days a week! My watch is usually the one saying, “Steph… maybe not today.”
I also travel almost every other weekend for races, so the battery life, offline maps and multi-band GPS have been amazing. I don’t have to worry about charging it every day or getting lost trying to find a running route in a new city—which, knowing me, would absolutely happen.
Whether you’re training for your first 5K or HYROX, it’s a watch that grows with you. The more you learn about your body, the better your training becomes.
RUNSG: How do you hope to inspire others as an Amazfit Ambassador?
Stephanie: More than anything, I want people—especially women—to realise they’re capable of so much more than they think.
I spent years thinking I had to choose between having a career, coaching, competing and looking after myself. The truth is, none of us are trying to be perfect. We’re just trying to become a little stronger than we were yesterday.
As a coach, I’m probably most excited when someone runs their first kilometre without stopping, or signs up for a race they never thought they’d be brave enough to enter.
If my journey encourages even one woman to think, “Maybe I can do that too,” then that’s incredibly meaningful to me.
I also want to show that training smarter isn’t about doing less—it’s about doing the right things at the right time. My Amazfit Active 3 Premium helps me make those decisions every day. Sometimes it gives me the confidence to push harder, and sometimes it reminds me that recovery isn’t being lazy—it’s part of becoming stronger!
