Fitness
Jake Dearden wins HYROX doubles gold, sets sight on Elite 15
Jake Dearden clinched the Hyrox World Championship doubles title in France, sending a strong message to his rivals about what's to come.
Fitness trailblazer Jake Dearden won the 2024 Pro Doubles Men HYROX World Championships, completing an against-the-odds turnaround after being sidelined with a back injury for six months earlier in the season.
While the 25-year-old Brit had narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Elite 15 this year, Dearden now has it firmly in his sights and given his performance alongside Marc Dean to take his first world title, expect to see him breaking into the professional racing division during the 2024–25 season.
A dream week for Hyrox ace Jake Dearden
Speaking after his Pro Doubles HYROX World Championship win, Jake Dearden said: "The race itself was tight and to come out on top was unbelievable. It's a privilege, but it shows that all the hard work has paid off over the last couple of months and years. I'm over the moon and joining the Red Bull family of athletes this week has made it even better – it’s been a week of dreams."
Jake Dearden and Marc Dean on top of the double world in Nice
© Baptiste Fauchille/Red Bull Content Pool
Dearden is hoping to qualify for the Elite 15 at the HYROX Cape Town on September 21 and go to a Major, where he could secure his place at the 2025 HYROX World Championships with a top-three finish. "Being realistic, I had six months to prepare and qualify for the Elite 15," he added. “Unfortunately, I didn’t make it this year, but my time is close to achieving that - and it’s my goal to make it next year.” To secure a spot in the Elite 15, Dearden knows he must enhance his endurance. "For me, the focus is on improving my running. Right now, I'm clocking 34 minutes for a 10k, but I'm aiming to shave that down to 32 minutes."
For me, the focus is on improving my running.
Thrilling showdown in the Elite 15 Hyrox World Championship races
Austrian Alexander Roncevic and Megan Jacoby of the United States were crowned the 2024 Elite 15 HYROX World Champions, eclipsing a stellar field at Nice's Palais des Expositions to take their first titles by 11 seconds and almost four minutes respectively.
In the men’s Elite 15, winner Roncevic showed consistency throughout and in the workout stations only placed outside of the top three once – his fifth in the 200m Farmers Carry. His closest competitor, Britain's Michael Sandbach, surrendered his lead at the final Wall Balls station and with it the first HYROX World Championship title to the Austrian.
Austria's Alexander Roncevic claimed the Men's crown in France
© Baptiste Fauchille/Red Bull Content Pool
Megan Jacoby dominated the Women's class
© Baptiste Fauchille/Red Bull Content Pool
“The feeling at the finish line was unbelievable. It’s been my biggest wish to be the best in the world at something and now, at least on this day, the wish came true,” he said.
The women’s Elite 15 race wasn’t as close. American Megan Jacoby asserted her dominance from the third station (50m Sled Pull) and placed first in every remaining station to take her first HYROX World Champion title.
First HYROX Elite Mixed Relay champions crowned
Two-time Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) world champion Ida Mathilde Steensgaard was representing Denmark in the first-ever Elite Mixed Relay World Championship. The 33-year old was able to utilise the strengths and speed required for OCR to help the Danish team secure 10th. Steensgaard had just missed qualifying for the Elite 15 in this season, just like Dearden, but decided to use the relay event as a chance to get some speed training in before she sets off to defend her title at the OCR European championships.
Ida Mathilde Steensgaard is a big fan of the HYROX format
© Baptiste Fauchille/Red Bull Content Pool
One of the reasons behind HYROX’s growth is that you know you can complete one
Why is HYROX becoming so popular?
Speaking before her race, Ida Mathilde Steensgaard said: "One of the reasons behind HYROX’s growth is that you know you can complete one, no matter what – it’s just going to depend on how fast you can go. There are other sports, like CrossFit or OCR, where you need a specific skill set to be able to complete the competition or the workout. In HYROX, most people will be able to do the course. It also includes more running and I love running. Combining running and strength training just gives you an all-around good physique and athleticism – training never gets boring.
"I think you'll see me in HYROX more. In OCR, I've won a lot now, I have a lot of defending titles. So, the feeling of really wanting to win is harder to achieve," she added.
What happened at the Hyrox World Championships in Nice?
- Jake Dearden (GBR) won the 2024 Pro Doubles Men HYROX World Championships completing an against-the-odds turnaround after being sidelined with a back injury for six months earlier in the 2023–24 season.
- Austria's Alexander Roncevic and American Megan Jacoby were crowned the 2024 Elite 15 HYROX World Champions, eclipsing a stellar field at Nice’s Palais des Expositions to take their first titles by 11 seconds and almost four minutes, respectively.
- OCR World Champion Ida Mathilde Steensgaard from Denmark competed in the first-ever Elite Mixed Relay final with her country team, placing 10th overall.
Jake Dearden has the Elite 15 firmly in his sights after this win
© Baptiste Fauchille/Red Bull Content Pool
The race itself was tight and to come out on top was unbelievable. It's a privilege
What are the HYROX World Championships?
The Nice event was the sixth HYROX World Championship in the sport’s eight-year history and the conclusion of the 2023–24 season. The three-day fitness racing event also saw the top two percent of the 175,000 HYROX age group athletes - who had competed and qualified throughout the 2302–24 season – go head-to-head in the Pro Singles (Men and Women), Pro Doubles (Men, Women and Mixed) and Mixed Relay to become an age group HYROX World Champion.
What are the divisions in HYROX?
In HYROX, athletes in all categories must complete eight one kilometre runs interspersed with eight functional workout stations: 1km SkiErg, 50m Sled Push, 50m Sled Pull, 80m Burpee Board Jump, 1km Row, 200m Farmers Carry, 100m Sandbag Lunges and the 100 Wall Balls. In the Elite 15 and Pro Singles, each athlete must complete the full race format alone and in the fastest time frame to win.
The Doubles is a less-intensive and accessible way to compete, where athletes have to run together, but split the functional workout stations and take it in turns. As for the Relays, each athlete in a four-person team must complete two one kilometre runs and two functional workout stations each.