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Could Hyrox's Olympic ambition spell the end for triathlon?

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

International sports officials have integrated the popular fitness racing concept into their organizational framework, granting it federated status that paves the way for potential Olympic and Paralympic inclusion down the road. Elite multisport competitors have reacted with alarm, warning that the commercial strength of the indoor running and workout format could cannibalize resources and sponsorships from existing disciplines. Although the discipline is excluded from the upcoming Los Angeles 2028 program, triathletes voiced anger at discovering the partnership via social media without direct warning. Governing leadership maintains the expansion will broaden overall audience engagement, wh…

Key points

  • The integration under an international federation provides Hyrox a viable pathway to purs…: The integration under an international federation provides Hyrox a viable pathway to pursue future inclusion in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
  • Traditional endurance athletes worry that administrative resources and lucrative commerci…: Traditional endurance athletes worry that administrative resources and lucrative commercial sponsorships will be diverted away from outdoor multisport events.
  • Governing officials insist the alliance will strengthen the broader multisport movement b…: Governing officials insist the alliance will strengthen the broader multisport movement by expanding the athlete and audience base across all levels.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

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"Our biggest concern is that they're not just here to take part, they're here to take over."

British triathlete Max Stapley first saw the news on Instagram. Last week, World Triathlon announced it was partnering with Hyrox - the fitness craze which combines running with exercise stations.

The agreement means Hyrox becomes a recognised discipline within World Triathlon. And now it sits under a recognised international federation, it could be eligible for inclusion at the Olympics and Paralympics.

It is too late for the Los Angeles 2028 Games but is there room for both hybrid racing and triathlon to feature at a future Olympics? Or could one replace the other?

For triathlon, a sport which has been in the Olympics since 2000, and has long-established professional circuits, its athletes are questioning whether they'll reap any rewards from this partnership - or even, whether it could "kill" the sport altogether.

'We were kind of blindsided'

Stapley, who spoke to BBC Sport from a training camp in Thailand, was having dinner with friends when his phone started pinging with news…

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