The World Championships of HYROX just wrapped up in Chicago, and boy, what an amazing spectacle it was to witness.

Feats of athleticism were witnessed across all age groups and abilities.

Septuagenarians and adaptive divisions representing physical, neurological, and impaired visual and hearing abilities were present as well.

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Say what you will about it - HYROX is here to stay.

These are amazing feats of athleticism which certainly make for a spectacular show.

However, this event was not without controversy.

All of sports is a stage, and every athlete plays a part

In every great sport, you have various characters playing different parts.

Intentional or not, it adds to the drama of sport. The heroes, the sweethearts, the battler, the villain ...

And HYROX certainly has theirs.

Who takes on what role depends on who you support, just like in footy, some people love Brisbane Broncos Reece Walsh, touting his supreme athleticism, while others may describe him as a trumped-up, spoilt brat.

Allegiance and perspective are important.

In HYROX, sportsmanship, scandal, perspective, and personalities are well and truly present.

Characters

A new sport but with the same characters forming and in play.

You have the cheeky one (or arrogant ... depending on perspective) who thrives off setting up mind games pre-event, guaranteed to give you a great soundbite.

The quiet achiever, who doesn’t really say anything vocally, but for sure lets the race result speak for itself.

The one all about the community, giving back, speaking accolades about the team, and not themselves.

The rookie where all eyes are focused on some epic athletic feats and major upsets.

The one to watch who earnestly shares every experience, not quite believing the life they are now living.

Engaging, entertaining, and lots to talk about ... even scandal.

Costly competition

Big brands are paying attention. The athleticism and the personalities.

GOLD’s gym has announced a collaboration to open purpose-built HYROX performance centres within their juggernaut of a gym chain.

PUMA has a collaboration, elites competed adorned in the brand, and the company held a “shake out” run before the world champs, with all able to try their purpose-built branded shoes.

All the individual elite athletes have their own brand collaborations they are repping, gyms, food companies, supplements … ca-ching, ca-ching.

And the athletes need sponsorship as this sport is expensive.

For a “regular Joe” taking part, there’s the training and nutrition for the event, and then the hardest task: securing a ticket to compete.

There is so much demand to take part, events around the world in a season sell out.

For a regional or world champs event, all travel, accommodation, and costs are self-funded, hence many a “givealittle” popping up for crowd sourcing of money.

Some of the elite athletes who fly around the world, entering in their respective divisions, do all the training, nutrition, and recovery required as well as holding down full-time jobs.

It was astounding to hear from the incredible women in the elites presser how they calibrated their bodies to be at their very peak as well as manage full-time work, families (kids for some of them), and fund this sport they excel at.

They love it - but not the cost.

Controversy

It’s bound to happen in sport, and this growing one is no different.

Expanding so quickly, you get a feel the rules are being refined as the experiences happen.

What lines can be crossed and what can’t. It’s evolving.

These world champs certainly proved that.

There was a controversial push in the invitational team relay.

Team USA (Hunter McIntyre) shoved team Ireland (Jeremy McConnell) during one of the runs, early.

The result saw America scratched from the race, losing their first-place finish, hours after the finish line and podium presentations had been made.

And this occurred only after the event had finished and a challenge had been lodged.

The result, all of Team USA losing their first place for unsportsmanlike conduct.

As the challenge was being deliberated by judges, organisers communicated the update over social media.

Team USA was disqualified. Team Australia was declared the winner.

But there was more: Second place was deemed a tie because the judges were unable to determine who crossed first between Belgium and England.

Everyone’s place was rejiggered. A new medal ceremony was scheduled.

And a social media apology post-event from organizers was issued.

New tools at the world champs

The most scandalous athletic issue seemed to be new turf, ironically introduced to improve consistency in every race.

New turf — which had been “rigorously” tested — was introduced at the World Championships this year.

It came as a surprise to everyone, to say the least.

HYROX was confident the World Championships were the perfect timing for introducing an anomaly into the arduous event to iron out any inconsistencies in races around the world.

The elite athletes seemed on board. Like it or lump it, if they wanted to race, they didn’t have a choice.

There seemed to be issues with the adherence of this new turf on the stadium ground, meaning some lanes slipped while others held strong.

A problem no athlete had encountered before.

This meant a lane with a slip felt slow and heavy, like pushing an immovable truck, while a non-slip lane felt faster and freer, like the truck was on ice.

Which lane you got depended on how fast and in what order you entered.

So random, inconsistent and unfair.

And another social media apology post event from organizers was issued.

All the gear, no idea

In a few of the races, there seemed to be confusion amongst race officials about the equipment needed to be ready and waiting for each fitness spot, as well as where to direct competitors running in and out of the station.

There was gear not ready for athletes with the right weight, hindering their time and messing with their heads, in a time-based competition.

There was a lack of clarity on where an athlete was to run to in a station or run out from (and in which direction).

Confusing — causing costly seconds.

Likewise, there seemed to be judging inconsistency in reps — or what was accepted as a HYROX standard repetition, and what was not.

It depended on who was watching, and if someone was in fact watching.

Some dodgy depths were allowed to pass on things like wall balls with some judges, while considered a “no rep”’ by others.

There seemed to be the same inconsistency with burpees … Where are your feet supposed to finish? Are you allowed to creep forward to your hand placement? I have questions.

Each individual instance may seem trivial, but as a whole, it’s important.

This matters to athletes who have spent time … and money to compete.

And especially given the Olympic ambitions of this exploding competition, it’s important to get it right.

And another social media apology post-event from organizers was issued.

Put into perspective you have people all over the world, spending a fortune.

They’ve trained for weeks to improve their times.

They don’t care about a medal, they just care they were there at the start line … and able to see it through to the end.

They were left crushed when their legs blew out and uncertain if they would even make the finish line.

With sweaty, shaking hands on sled poles, they for the darndest couldn’t understand not being able to push a sled one metre when only last week they had been flying 100m.

Inconsistent.

That matters if you want the Olympics, and HYROX does.

Founders Christian Toetzke and Moritz Fürste made a very unexpected announcement in the press event before the World Champs stating the Olympics were very much in their sights.

It was a mic-drop moment when Fürste said plans were in place to lobby for as early as Brisbane 2032.

There was an audible intake of breath from every elite athlete in the room.

Any meetings with Olympic officials? No.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli or government reps? No.

Sources close to the founders said the discussion with the IOC has happened, and HYROX as an Olympic sport is nearly there.

What is unclear whether it will be a medal-winning event or a demonstration sport held during the Games.

But with the Olympics, there can be no “social media apology post event form organizers issued”.

As much as there was controversy, the sport is exploding on social media and in cities around the world.

It’s taking on its own life, rapidly in this modern social media era.

HYROX knows the digital space is where their foundation lives … and their fan base started.

Is this the way sports develop for the future?

Will we be talking about the birth of this new Olympic event in a decade … time will tell.