“Our biggest worry is they’re not just joining, they’re aiming to dominate.”
British triathlete Max Stapley first spotted the announcement on Instagram after World Triathlon revealed a partnership with Hyrox, the hybrid fitness series.
The deal crowns Hyrox as an official World Triathlon discipline, opening a path toward Olympic and Paralympic inclusion.
Los Angeles 2028 is out of reach, but could future Games host both hybrid racing and triathlon, or will one supplant the other?
Triathlon, an Olympic staple since 2000 with a solid pro circuit, now faces athletes questioning whether the alliance will reward them or even jeopardize the sport.
“I thought, hold up—what’s happening?” Stapley recalled.
“We didn’t get a heads‑up; Instagram was the first word.”
The post read, external: ‘Hyrox x World Triathlon are officially introducing ‘Hybrid Racing’ as a new discipline within the World Triathlon family.’
Sophie Evans, 2022 Commonwealth Games mixed‑relay gold medallist, said the news caught her off guard.
“I’m not opposed to it joining World Triathlon, but being blindsided feels odd,” she added.
Stapley slammed World Triathlon for ignoring its athletes, noting he received no prior or follow‑up communication.
“They show no respect for us,” he said. “They don’t even ask, ‘Do you care about this?’”
“Athlete reps sit in every executive board meeting, and their voice is always heard.
“The announcement followed the standard World Triathlon release protocol.
World Triathlon claims the partnership will “benefit the whole movement,” delivering fresh ways to engage athletes, audiences and grow multisport from grassroots to elite.
So how will athletes actually gain?
Polish European champion Roksana Slupek said she isn’t against the concept but wants clearer details.
“What’s in it for triathlon? It’s not an attack on Hyrox,” Slupek noted.
In my view, this move feels like an assault on our very existence, risking resources shifting toward Hyrox’s Olympic dream at triathlon’s expense.
“How can Hyrox boost triathlon? If anything, they’ve strangled us,” he argued, adding sponsors may favor Hyrox athletes before they hit the Games.
“Sponsorships have dipped because TV exposure vanished; viewers now have to pay to watch us.
“We train the Olympic distance, the short format, our whole careers built around it.
“There’s no swim, no bike, it’s indoor—Hyrox has nothing to do with triathlon.
“It feels like our sport is being sidelined, offered up with IOC access and our structure.
“We could still chase medals in Los Angeles 2028, but will we have a chance later?
Evans argued that while triathlon has delivered quality Olympic racing for 26 years, the new tie injects a troubling uncertainty.
“Much of the pushback comes from athletes because the future is unclear,” she said.
Can triathlon and Hybrid Racing coexist?
Olympic bronze medallist Sam Dickinson sees logic in the merge but demands more transparency.
“It makes sense for a multisport to sit under World Triathlon’s umbrella.
“Yet it’s early, and we lack the concrete details on implementation.
That opacity fuels speculation about what lies ahead.
World Triathlon already oversees Aquathlon and Duathlon among its disciplines.
A spokesperson said the alliance opens doors to new audiences through global collaborations.
Founded in 2017, Hyrox has surged: 1.5 million participants in the 2025/26 season, up from 650,000 the prior year, with projections topping 2 million this season.