HYROX Cape Town certainly arrived with a bang in SA ! The event , held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre , was the first of its kind in South Africa , and saw 1483 athletes competing , with participants ranging from elite competitors to fitness enthusiasts and first-timers , and with over 2000 spectators also attending to get a taste of the HYROX experience . The competition featured HYROX ’ s signature mix of functional fitness challenges , including running , rowing and endurance strength-based exercises , pushing the athletes to their limits . Top-tier athletes from around the world , including South Africa ’ s own rising fitness stars , delivered stunning performances . Jake Dearden clinched first place in the Men ’ s individual Pro category , finishing with a time of 56 minutes 53 seconds and qualifying for the Elite 15 HYROX event in Amsterdam . Cape Town ’ s own Vicky MacIntosh took the Women ’ s individual Pro title with an equally impressive time of 1:05:33 seconds , edging out many experienced overseas athletes . The event had a 99 % completion rate , with the women having a slightly better completion rate than the men .
Event participants were 89 % South African residents , with the majority of the international competitors
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coming from Europe and the United Aab Emirates . HYROX Cape Town saw a near perfect split between males and females . HYROX Doubles and relays accounted for 59 % of all competitors , showing that participants enjoyed sharing the experience with friends and family .
Record-Setting Event
The Cape Town race exceeded all expectations , breaking previous attendance records for a first time HYROX event . The event was also successful on social media , with high engagement by participants and followers of the sport , and the official @ HYROXSA account on Instagram grew its followers by nearly 70 % during the month leading up to the event .
The success of HYROX Cape Town not only boosted the local fitness community , but also created an influx of sports tourism , with international visitors enjoying the city ’ s iconic sights and hospitality . This has further solidified Cape Town ’ s position as a premier destination for global sporting events , and sent a message to the corporate community , positioning HYROX as a marquee event that sponsors should align with .
On a related note , the sponsorship community
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received terrific value through interactive booths and product showcases , which included PUMA , Red Bull , Concept2 , CENTR , Botthms , Myprotein , Dischem , Southern Sun , Mark Seuring Physiotherapy , F45 , Ollie Health , SUPERnatural + and MINI .
What They Said … We chatted to a few HYROX Cape Town athletes to get their take on the event experience .
“ HYROX Cape Town was truly an unforgettable experience . The energy and enthusiasm from all the athletes were amazing . It felt incredible to see everyone come together under one roof , after months of preparation and sharing tips over Instagram . I truly love this community and am passionate about HYROX !” – Matthew Stone , 33 ( Sandton , Gauteng )
“ HYROX Cape Town 2024 , was nothing short of amazing ! The energy in the room was incredible as the fitness community really came together and showed everyone the heart of fitness . My motto / goal for HYROX race day was “ remember to smile ,” because I believe that you can conquer anything in life when you do it with a smile – and you will automatically enjoy it 10 times more ! I was able to finish with a time of 1:17:48 , placing fifth in my age group and 20th out of 147 women in the Women ’ s Open Division . I also did a Mixed Relay with my awesome teammates Joanne , Cameron and Menzi , placing fourth with a time of 1:09:02 . HYROX has proven to me that I am capable of doing hard things , that I have resilience , that I am stronger than I think , and that I am capable of doing it with a smile . I am ready and excited for the next season of HYROX !” – Lida Versfeld , 20 ( Cape Town , Western Cape
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Images : Kevin Sawyer , Sportograf |