Last weekend, the best HYROX athletes on the planet descended on The Strawberry Arena in Stockholm for the 2026 HYROX World Championships. The big names were all present, Weeks, Wietrzyk, McElheny, Rončević, Wenisch, McIntyre, Scott and many more.
Unsurprisingly, there were also a large number of athletes from the CrossFit world as well. Aside from the occasional narcissism of small differences, HYROX and CrossFit have a huge overlap, and many people enjoy training within both methodologies. Even the HYROX CEO Christian Toetzke trained in a CrossFit Box for a while.
I’ve rounded up some of the biggest names that raced over the weekend, so let’s dive in.
Honorable Mention: Hunter McIntyre
Hunter is not a CrossFit athlete, and would not describe himself as such, but he has technically competed at the CrossFit Games.
In 2019, he accepted a wild card invite, travelled to Madison, Wisconsin, and competed. This was an exciting concept, and respect to Hunter for having the guts to try it without being specifically trained for elite level CrossFit performance.
In 2019 a system of cuts was operational, and Hunter was cut from the competition after a brutal workout involving long distance handstand walks on heavily fatigued shoulders. In many ways this way a shame, because handstand walks under extremely fatigued conditions is a very CrossFit-specific test.
It would have been more interesting to see how he would have faired across the entire spectrum of workouts, where his engine, strength and general physical preparedness would have been tested more completely.
Laura Horvath and Kristof Horvath
This Hungarian team of siblings, Laura and Kristof, took part in the mixed doubles (30-34) and recorded a time of 58:43.
Excluding the Roxzone, they set an average time of 4:07.1 per run, with 1:25 on the Sled Push, 3:16 on the wall balls and 1:40 on the farmers carry. Clearly, and unsurprisingly, none of the workout stations caused them any problems.
Laura has consistently finished on the podium at The CrossFit Games, earning second place behind Tia both in 2018 and 2021, was third in 2022, and won in 2023. At the Rogue Invitational, she won the women’s title in 2022, 2023, and 2025, and finished as runner-up in 2024. She also won the inaugural World Fitness Project Competition last year in 2025.
Kristof, her older brother, introduced her to CrossFit in 2014. She is also a highly skilled climber, and comes from a a family of fitness lovers as both her parents are PE teachers.
Mirjam Von Rohr
Swiss Athlete Mirjam Von Rohr competed for her country during the relay, and in the pro women race. She is one of Switzerland’s leading functional fitness athletes, with elite credentials across HYROX, CrossFit, weightlifting, and powerlifting.
A reigning Swiss, European, and World Champion in Functional Fitness, she was an Age Group 2023 HYROX World Champion in Doubles and a podium finisher at the HYROX World Championships in 2022. In 2025, she cemented her status among the world’s best by finishing 7th at the CrossFit Games, while also earning the title of Fittest in Switzerland for 2024 and 2025.
Her achievements extend to Olympic weightlifting and powerlifting, where she claimed Swiss national titles in 2024 and 2025, alongside back-to-back CrossFit Open victories in 2024 and 2025.
Recently she also won the French Throwdown and qualified for the CrossFit Games, and set a new Swiss record in Olympic Weightlifting. She will definitely be one to watch at the 2026 CrossFit Games. She is known for her strength and incredible Wall Ball endurance, her personal record for unbroken reps is 350!
In the Pro Women HYROX Race she recorded a total workout time of 25:19, averaging 3:10 per station across the HYROX workout elements. Her strongest performances came in Wall Balls (1st overall with a stunning 3:02) and Sled Push (2nd overall), while she also ranked inside the top 35 for Sandbag Lunges (18th), Burpee Broad Jumps (22nd), and Ski Erg (31st) among 751 athletes. Her lowest-ranked station was the Sled Pull (231st), making it the clearest area for improvement within an otherwise consistently strong workout performance.
Chandler Smith and Jessi Smith
For this husband and wife duo, Stockholm was their fourth HYROX World Championship level event as a team. Jessi was also recently coming off the back of victory at the WFP in the Elite Teams category.
They both won first place in the Elite Pairs at the 2026 NorCal Classic in their respective divisions.
Chandler Smith is a highly accomplished CrossFit athlete. He has competed at multiple CrossFit Games, highlighted by a 7th-place finish in 2023, and has consistently qualified through some of North America’s most competitive fields.
Smith has also excelled at the Rogue Invitational, earning 2nd place overall in 2022 and producing one of the competition’s most memorable moments in 2023 when he won the Max Deadlift event with a 610-pound lift. Renowned for his power and versatility, Smith has established himself as a perennial contender on the elite competition circuit.
He can also finish in style.
Chandler and Jessi Smith recorded a workout total of 20:42, averaging 2:35 per station. Their strongest stations were Wall Balls (9th overall) and Sandbag Lunges (23rd), while they also placed inside the top 70 in the SkiErg (25th), Row (55th), and Sled Pull (69th). Their lowest-ranked station was the Sled Push (294th).
On the run course, they were remarkably consistent, completing Runs 2–8 in a narrow range of 4:03 to 4:24.
Willy Georges
A former rugby player, Willy Georges is the most well known French CrossFit Games athlete. He has also competed in powerlifting, racking up impressive numbers with a 275kg squat, 175kg bench press and a 310kg deadlift.
He competed in the Pro Men Category in Sweden.
Willy Georges’ performance was defined by exceptional station execution. Among 767 athletes, he ranked 1st in the Sled Push, 2nd in the Sled Pull, 2nd in Wall Balls, and 4th in Sandbag Lunges, while also placing 46th in both the Burpee Broad Jumps and Farmers Carry. His lowest-ranked station was the SkiErg (128th), though he still finished well inside the top 20% of the field.
On the runs, Georges recorded a 31:44 total running time at an average pace of 3:58/km. His run splits were consistent, with Runs 2–8 ranging from 3:54 to 4:21, and rankings generally between 235th and 390th. The data shows a clear contrast between his elite station performances and his comparatively stronger mid-field running results, indicating that he gained the majority of his advantage through the workout elements.
Ty Jenkins and Jorge Fernandez
These two CrossFit athletes competed in the Pro Doubles Men Race. Jenkins is a three-time CrossFit Games Teen Champion, having won the Boys 14–15 division in 2021 and the Boys 16–17 division in both 2022 and 2023.
Fernandez is a CrossFit Games team veteran and member of CrossFit Invictus, helping the team earn a bronze medal at the 2022 CrossFit Games before capturing the Affiliate Cup and Team CrossFit Games title in 2023. Together, they combine proven Games success, elite work capacity, and experience competing at the highest levels of functional fitness.
They recorded a 20:59 workout total, averaging 2:37 per station. Their best station was the Burpee Broad Jump, where they ranked 10th out of 704 teams, while they also placed just outside the top 120 in the Wall Balls (113th), Sled Push (119th), and SkiErg (120th). Their lowest-ranked stations were the Sled Pull (428th), Farmers Carry (406th), and Sandbag Lunges (366th).
On the run course, they clocked a 30:57 total running time at an average pace of 3:52/km. Their splits were relatively consistent, with Runs 2–7 ranging from 3:51 to 4:11, before a slower final lap of 4:29. Overall, the data shows steady running performances combined with several strong station results, particularly in the Burpee Broad Jump.
Noah Ohlsen
OG CrossFit legend Noah Ohlsen competed in the Men’s Pro Doubles with Bailey O’Brien.
Noah Ohlsen is one of the most accomplished athletes in CrossFit history, with more than a decade of competition at the sport’s highest level. A multiple-time CrossFit Games veteran, he is best known for his runner-up finish at the 2019 CrossFit Games and numerous top-10 Games performances. Renowned for his consistency, endurance, and positive attitude, Ohlsen has remained a perennial contender throughout his career. It is no coincidence that he has also been awarded with “The Spirit of The Games” award.
The pair recorded a 21:25 workout total, highlighted by a 9th-place finish in the Sandbag Lunges and a 31st-place SkiErg among 704 teams. They also posted solid results in the Sled Pull (147th), Sled Push (126th), Wall Balls (123rd), Farmers Carry (168th), and Burpee Broad Jumps (157th).
They held a 32:37 running total at an average pace of 4:05/km. After an opening run of 2:25, their remaining splits ranged from 3:54 to 4:33. The data shows that their strongest relative performances came on the workout stations, where they achieved several top-tier rankings compared with their generally mid-field running results.
It is interesting to see this pattern across many of the individual and team CrossFit athletes competing in HYROX.
Chase Smith
Chase Smith has established himself as a top masters athletes in CrossFit, consistently ranking among the best competitors in the Men 35–39 division. After competing as an individual in the Open and Semifinal stages, he transitioned into the masters ranks and quickly emerged as a Games contender, finishing 13th at the 2024 CrossFit Games before improving to 4th place in 2025. His progression through the years earned him 2nd place in the Age Group Semifinals in both 2024 and 2025. Smith also posted top-five worldwide Open finishes within his age group in consecutive years.
Chase Smith’s HYROX performance was driven by strong running and standout results on the sled stations. He completed a 29:23 total run time, ranking 80th out of 767 athletes. He was remarkably consistent, with Runs 2–8 all falling between 3:41 and 3:56. His strongest run came at the end, where he ranked 26th on Run 8.
Among the workout stations, Smith ranked 4th overall in the Sled Push and 70th in the Sled Pull, while also posting solid results in the Farmers Carry (74th) and Row (98th). His lowest-ranked stations were the Burpee Broad Jumps (376th) and Wall Balls (432nd).
Ant Haynes
Ant Haynes is one of Hong Kong’s most accomplished CrossFit athletes and a three-time CrossFit Games competitor, qualifying in 2019, 2020, and 2023. Born and raised in Hong Kong to an English-Chinese family, he later attended university in the United Kingdom before returning to compete internationally. A longtime leader in Asian CrossFit, Haynes has consistently ranked among the region’s best athletes and remains a prominent figure in functional fitness across Asia.
Ant Haynes recorded a 34:12 running total at an average pace of 4:17/km, with Runs 2–7 remaining relatively consistent between 4:11 and 4:36 before a slower final lap of 5:00. His overall running total ranked him 533rd out of 767 athletes.
Across the workout stations, Haynes posted a 30:23 workout total, averaging 3:48 per station. His highest-ranked station was Wall Balls (272nd), while the Row (363rd), Sled Push (365th), and Sandbag Lunges (365th) were among his stronger results. His lowest-ranked station was the Burpee Broad Jump (527th).
Baylee Rayl
Five-time CrossFit Games athlete Baylee Rayl competed in the Pro Doubles Women Race with Lexi Johnson.
After making her Games appearances in the Team division in 2017 and 2018, she qualified as an individual for three consecutive CrossFit Games from 2021 to 2023. Her best individual season came in 2021, when she finished 18th at the CrossFit Games after placing 2nd at the CrossFit Atlas Games Semifinal.
She followed that with a 3rd-place finish at the 2022 Mid-Atlantic CrossFit Challenge and a 9th-place finish at the 2023 North America West Semifinal, highlighting her consistency across multiple seasons of elite competition.
In Stockholm the pair completed the workout stations in 24:48, led by an exceptional 6th-place finish in the Wall Balls. They ranked 41st in the Sled Pull and 92nd in the Sandbag Lunges among 689 teams.
On the runs, they set a total time of 35:30 at an average pace of 4:26/km. After an opening run of 2:40, their remaining splits ranged from 4:18 to 4:51, showing relatively consistent pacing throughout the race. The data suggests their strongest relative performances came on the workout stations, particularly the Wall Balls and Sled Pull, where they ranked among the top teams in the field.
Jóhanna Júlía Júlíusdóttir
Icelandic CrossFit athlete Jóhanna Júlía Júlíusdóttir competed with Ólöf Stefánsdóttir in the Pro Doubles Women Race.
Jóhanna Júlía Júlíusdóttir is an Icelandic CrossFit athlete and former Icelandic CrossFit Champion who competed at the 2017 CrossFit Games as a member of CrossFit XY. A longtime presence in Iceland’s competitive CrossFit scene, she has consistently ranked among the country’s top female athletes, including a 4th-place finish in the country in the 2025 CrossFit Open.
The Icelandic athletes recorded a 33:40 running total, ranking 129th out of 689 teams. Their running was one of the strongest aspects of their race, with Runs 2–8 all falling between 4:10 and 4:34, and their best-ranked splits come late in the race with a 90th-place Run 7 and 41st-place Run 8.
The pair completed the workout stations in a total time of 28:00, with their strongest performances coming in the Burpee Broad Jumps (204th) and Sandbag Lunges (305th). Their lowest-ranked stations were the Wall Balls (470th), SkiErg (433rd), and Sled Pull (432nd).
James Newbury
Alongside Zeke Grove, Rob Forte and Khan Porter, James Newbury is one of the OG Aussie CrossFit athletes. In Sweden he competed in the Elite 15 Men’s Doubles Race with Dene Flude.
Newbury is a five-time CrossFit Games athlete and one of Australia’s most accomplished CrossFit competitors. A former semi-professional rugby league player, Newbury spent several years on the cusp of Games qualification before breaking through in 2016 after narrowly missing out in previous Regional competitions, including a one-place miss in 2014.
He went on to compete at the CrossFit Games as an individual from 2016 to 2019, finishing in 5th in 2019.
Newbury and Flude completing the workout stations in 21:14 with an average station time of 2:39. Their strongest station was the Sled Push, where they finished 3rd out of 15 teams, while the Sled Pull (8th) was their only other top-half station result. Most of their remaining station rankings fell between 12th and 15th in the elite field.
On their runs, the pair set a total time of 32:16 at an average pace of 4:02/km. The middle six runs ranged from 3:48 to 4:47. Their strongest relative performances came on the sled stations, particularly the Sled Push, while most other stations and run segments ranked toward the back of the elite field.
Wrapping it Up
It is fascinating to see a plethora of high level CrossFit athletes competing across many of the different divisions at the HYROX World Championships.
One of the standout trends is just how well these athletes do on the workout stations. The concept of “compromised running” is nothing new to any CrossFit athlete that tries HYROX, as almost everything in every CrossFit workout happens in a “compromised” state (maybe with the exception of max lift attempts).
It is also unsurprising that the running standards for the high level HYROX athletes are better than the high level CrossFit athletes. Running exists as around 50% or more of HYROX, whereas it is simply another tool in any CrossFit athlete’s arsenal of fitness.
Learn more from top HYROX athlete Beau Wills about how to adapt your CrossFit background into better HYROX performances.
