HYROX India will bring in new wave of fitness addiction: Olympic swimmer Srihari Nataraj

MUMBAI : Mumbai didn’t just host India’s first HYROX race; it unleashed a fitness phenomenon. The NESCO Centre at Goregaon, Mumbai, pulsed with a frenzied level of energy today, 1650 athletes converged in an energetic display of athleticism and competitive spirit.

From the first SkiErg pull to the final Wall Ball shot, participants pushed their limits throughout the demanding HYROX format – eight 1km runs alternating with eight functional fitness challenges. The sheer scale of the event, combined with the raw energy of the athletes, created an electrifying spectacle that captivated a packed venue. High-performance and eye-catching.

“HYROX is a whole new format of fitness. It is fun in its unique way and that is going to bring in a new wave of fitness addiction. It’s great to see HYROX catching on in India, it will create more everyday athletes and help them develop in a much better way. I think any sort of working out is an addiction; some people like lifting weights, some people like running, but this has everything in it, so this is going to pick up quite fast – everyone loves taking on a challenge,” Puma athlete and double olympian swimmer Srihari Nataraj commented while warming up for his HYROX race.

From 16-year-old Gawale Sayee to 78-year-old Virendra Sood, this race showcased an incredible range of participation across fitness levels. HYROX Mumbai was a truly inclusive event, drawing participants from 24 nations and hordes of enthusiastic spectators to cheer them on.

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Puma athlete and Bengaluru FC goalkeeper, also weighed in, saying, “It’s amazing to have something like HYROX happening in India and I’m very excited to compete in it. Events like HYROX can help players like me stay in shape physically. The traditional methods of being fit are being challenged and you can see all these participants doing so many various workouts and bringing some change in their personal lives. It’s lovely to see the different and interesting challenges that HYROX throws at people in their fitness journey.”

HYROX Mumbai also had slots to the season-ending HYROX World Championships, offering contestants the opportunity to compete in the 2025 Championships in Chicago. Likewise, the upcoming HYROX India races in other cities will also have qualifying slots across race divisions and age groups, something that Indian athletes can look forward to.

Anurag Rajshekar, a product manager at a corporate in Bengaluru, competed with five other colleagues. “Our company has a fitness event where we try to compete with each other in a healthy manner. And HYROX was a great way to come and boost our fitness. Competing here was a blast, we felt like champions in the end. HYROX is a new inclusive format that is perfect for building community among everyday gym-goers and colleagues, giving us a platform to showcase the hard work we put in every day,” he said.

The groundbreaking event in Mumbai exceeded all expectations, marking a pivotal moment in India’s fitness landscape and setting a benchmark for the HYROX Delhi race on 19th July, registrations for which will open shortly on the official event website www.hyrox.co.in.

Hyrox has been introduced in India thanks to a partnership between Hyrox World and Yoska. (ANI)