BY On June 28 and 29, the iconic Singapore National Stadium was alive with the sights and sounds of determination, camaraderie, and celebration as nearly 25,000 participants and supporters gathered for the landmark AIA HYROX Open Asian Championships 2025. The event not only marked a soaring new high for Singapore’s fitness scene but also demonstrated why HYROX is fast becoming the heartbeat of mass participation sport across Asia.
This year’s edition—held in partnership with Sport Singapore and the Singapore Tourism Board—shattered attendance records and brought together an inspiring 12,840 athletes from across Asia and beyond. What set this event apart was not just its size, but its spirit of inclusivity and innovation.
HYROX broke new ground by introducing the Adaptive category for athletes with physical disabilities and the Corporate Relay, designed to promote workplace wellness through team challenges. The atmosphere was electrifying as participants from all walks of life—first-timers, elite competitors, and everyone in between—tackled eight rounds of signature HYROX physical challenges. The Adaptive category was a particular highlight, featuring modified weights and repetitions to ensure all participants enjoyed a safe, supportive, and empowering race experience
Regional Rivalries and Stunning Showcases
The weekend reached its crescendo with the first-ever HYROX Mixed Relay Asian Championship Invitational. Thirteen top teams competed fiercely, with Team South Korea ultimately triumphing in a gripping finale that celebrated both competition and camaraderie.
HYROX Singapore’s Country Manager, William Petty, expressed his excitement at the historic turnout:
"Watching athletes of all backgrounds and abilities come together under one roof truly highlights the diversity and strength of Singapore’s fitness community. As HYROX continues to grow, we remain committed to innovating our event offerings and deepening community engagement."
AIA: Inspiring Healthy Living as New Title Partner
The spirit of healthy living was further underscored by the announcement of AIA as the Official Title Partner for the 2025 HYROX Open Asian Championships. Wong Sze Keed, CEO of AIA Singapore mentioned that the record-breaking event this year underscores AIA’s commitment to empowering individuals to live healthier, longer and better lives.
New initiatives such as the AIA Ultimate FitnessFest - a first-of-its-kind fitness festival with the aim to make active living accessible and inspiring for all - will kick off in August, featuring a HYROX-inspired challenge and special editions for both university students and the wider public.
Riding the Wave
With the fourth edition now in the books, and the brand riding a wave of success from 2024 - where the Cigna Healthcare HYROX Singapore 2024 was recently honored with the "Best Sports Event of the Year (Community / Mass Participation)" award at the Singapore Sports Awards in June - HYROX’s momentum seems unstoppable.
The racing calendar continues with APAC events in Sydney, Delhi, Hong Kong, Yokohama, Perth, Seoul, and Melbourne—reflecting its expansion across 31 countries. Fitness enthusiasts in Singapore can look forward to a new adrenaline-filled race on 29-30 November at the Singapore Expo.
For anyone inspired by this year’s feats—or those ready to try for the first time—the road to the next HYROX starts now.
For those new to the sport - HYROX is a global fitness racing sport that combines running and functional workouts, offering an accessible and inclusive competition format. Participants complete eight 1km runs, each separated by a challenging workout, and can compete individually, in pairs, or as relay teams.
RUN Singapore decided to dive deeper to understand more about this disruptive fitness and sports brand and Winner of the Time 100 Most Influential Companies 2024 by digging the minds of experienced athletes and teams to understand more about what sets HYROX apart from other events.
We first caught up with Ilona-Jade Errington - a part time athlete and full-time marketing professional who is a prominent figure in the individual HYROX arena in Asia having clinched the HYROX Singapore 2024 Women’s PRO Champion and qualified for multiple World Championships (2023, 2024 and 2025 respectively).
RUNSG: Tell us about your sports background, what is your usual race discipline?
Ilona: I started as a dancer and cheerleader, only picking up running at 25 to stay active outside of work. Social runs with colleagues led me to train for my first Spartan race, which sparked my passion for obstacle course races and introduced me to Singapore’s vibrant running community. When HYROX launched in Asia, I embraced the chance to combine my running background with functional strength training and now consider myself a hybrid athlete—focused on developing both speed and strength. What keeps me going is the unique challenge and the supportive community I’ve found in hybrid fitness.
RUNSG: How many HYROX editions have you competed in and which is the most memorable?
Ilona: Since May 2023, I’ve competed in 18 HYROX races—sometimes multiple events in a single weekend—across all categories, including Open, Pro, Solo, Doubles, and Relay, even qualifying for back-to-back World Championships in Nice and Chicago. While the World Championships were unforgettable for their atmosphere, some of my most meaningful moments include winning the Women's Pro race in Singapore in front of a home crowd and achieving personal bests in Taipei. Every race serves as a milestone, testing my fitness and reminding me of my passion for the sport.
RUNSG: How do you prepare and train for your races?
Ilona: I’ve benefited from great coaches and mentors, but now I design my own training plans, tailoring them to my goals and experiences. I train mainly at WAOFIT, a HYROX-affiliated gym, and recently joined the Singapore Shufflers running group. My routine involves 10–12 hours of training over 5–6 days each week, blending speed, threshold, hybrid, strength, and recovery sessions. For HYROX, balancing intensity with structured periodisation, proper fuelling, and recovery is crucial, especially alongside a full-time job.
RUNSG: How does the Asia edition measure against the events in Europe / US?
Ilona: Asia’s HYROX scene is rapidly growing, with electrifying crowds, impressive venues, and increasingly competitive athletes. Racing in iconic locations like the Singapore National Stadium is thrilling. One of HYROX’s strengths is its consistent global format, allowing athletes to directly compare results across cities—making every race both a personal and international experience. HYROX turns world-class venues into familiar, memorable settings, blending local excitement with a connected global community.
RUNSG: To do well in HYROX - which holds more weight - strength or running?
Ilona: Success in HYROX depends on both background and race category. While strength is essential—especially in the Pro division for heavy sleds—running pace often determines the outcome, so I prioritize run training. Ultimately, HYROX is a test of integrated fitness: how well you can recover, maintain speed under fatigue, and transition efficiently. The sport rewards balanced, consistent performance, challenging athletes to combine strength and endurance when it matters most.
RUNSG: Your best advice for someone thinking of trying HYROX for the first time?
Ilona: Don’t wait until you feel fully ready—just get started, train smart, and embrace each race as a learning experience. If solo racing feels intimidating, try the Doubles or Relay formats to build confidence and ease in. Avoid treating every workout like a race to prevent burnout; focus on structured, progressive training and recovery. Runners can leverage their endurance by adding strength work. Ultimately, HYROX is for everyone, whether you're aiming for a personal best or simply to finish—the supportive community ensures you’re never racing alone.
For individuals who still find the challenge too daunting - many find themselves roping in friends or family to tackle the HYROX circuit together - even at the elite level!
We spoke with Team Captain Tahir Ansari - fresh of representing Singapore in the HYROX Mixed Relay Asian Championships (Invitational) at this edition - who put together a powerhouse team comprising of elite athletes Sean Lee, Stephanie Leong and Hayley Lee - all individuals who have racked up top place finishes and standout performances across the regional and international HYROX stages.
RUNSG: Please share with us about the team’s background and how you got everyone together to compete in this!
Tahir: Hayley and Sean are full-time personal trainers, while Stephanie has a strong background in track and field. I first met Hayley and Stephanie when we competed together at last year’s HYROX Asian Relay Invitational in Hong Kong. For this year’s event at Singapore Indoor Stadium, I selected Stephanie based on her strong HYROX race data, Hayley earned her spot through time trials, and Sean was chosen as our final member after considering our race strategy with Stephanie, who acted as co-captain.
RUNSG: Was this your first relay experience? And how did you and the team train for this?
Tahir: This is actually my second relay, following my first at last year’s Invitational Asian Relay Championships in Hong Kong. Since we each had our own training routines and I’m based in Sydney, regular team practices weren’t feasible. Instead, we focused individually on our relay stations and stayed connected through constant communication. I checked in often on my teammates’ physical and mental well-being, emphasizing having fun to keep the team relaxed and performing at their best.
RUNSG: How was the experience racing against the fastest relay teams in Asia, did you guys meet your targets for this race?
Tahir: The experience was truly invaluable. I never imagined I would one day represent my country in sport, racing at the national stadium with the hometown crowd cheering for Team Singapore—I savored every second of it.
Although our team didn't achieve the finish we hoped for, I spent the following days reflecting on the many unexpected decisions that brought me to this memorable moment. I had aimed for a goal time of 55 and a half minutes; we finished in 56 minutes and 18 seconds, but some penalties brought our official time to 57 minutes and 33 seconds. In the end, we gave it everything we had, and that’s what counts most. We learned some tough—but valuable—lessons that future captains and teams can take forward.
RUNSG: Individual or Team Relay? And Why?
Tahir: I had only raced solo until I participated in the Invitational Relays in Hong Kong, but I now genuinely prefer relays over the open events. There’s something powerful about sharing the race experience, supporting your teammates, and pushing each other to be the best you can be. I’ve been fortunate to race alongside teammates who are not just outstanding athletes but also incredibly selfless—they always put the team first. They were open to being replaced if needed before the final team selection and were always willing to adapt to any strategy changes based on how everyone’s preparation was progressing.
RUNSG: What would be your best advice for anyone considering racing in a mixed relay?
Tahir: If you’re aiming for a personal best, practice combining running and station work, as performing stations after a hard run is much tougher than doing them separately. Testing this combo will reveal your true readiness, boost your confidence, and help you refine your race strategy if needed rather than get an unpleasant surprise on race day like cramps for instance.
RUNSG: We know you’re a huge Hong Beom Seok (Netflix - Physical 100 runner-up) fan, did you pick up a tip or two on how he races HYROX from this edition?
Tahir: He is an absolute beast! I think he stands out for his exceptional mental strength and superb racing technique, which surpasses many elite athletes. Despite his humble nature, his confident presence was instrumental in leading his team (Korea) to a well-deserved relay victory this year.
HYROX brings together training communities around the world, promoting a healthy, transformative lifestyle through both its sport and training methodology - we are already looking forward to what the next edition brings!
All ready to take on the Hyrox Challenge. The next Singapore edition is set on 29th and 30th November 2025. Check in at https://hyrox.com/event/hyrox-singapore-expo/ for more information and registration interest.
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