Hyrox

Nguyễn Tiểu Phương will take part in the 2026 PUMA Hyrox World Championships in Sweden. Photos courtesy of Tiểu Phương

Thanh Hà

HÀ NỘI — Nguyễn Tiểu Phương will be the sole Vietnamese representative carrying the national flag at the 2026 PUMA Hyrox World Championships in Stockholm, Sweden.

The global indoor fitness racing competition, which takes place on June 18-21 at the Strawberry Arena, concludes the 2025-26 season and brings together the best athletes to compete for the world champion title.

There are currently more than one million Hyrox athletes around the world, but only the top 0.5 per cent of them qualified for the Stockholm tournament.

Multiple age groups will compete in several categories at the four-day championship, including Pro, Age Group and Doubles divisions for standard singles, doubles and relay (team) races.

The Elite 15, the fastest 15 men and women of the season, will also battle each other in prime-time heats.

Phương, 55, will compete in the Pro Women class on June 19. She made her world championship debut last year in the US.

Nguyễn Tiểu Phương in action during a tournament in 2025.

"The Hyrox World Championships is not just a tournament like other sporting events," Phương told Việt Nam News.

"It is a gathering of athletes where they compete, learn and exchange experiences with each other after a year of hard practise and effort."

She explained: "To take part in Hyrox tournaments, athletes need only register, pay the fee and fly to the competition venues. But the world championship is not that easy; it's like the World Cup in football. All licensed athletes are the best of their age groups, with global qualifications.

"There is also a gap between athletes of different regions. Those from the US, Australia and Europe dominate the community and the elite group. Asia has no elite athletes yet, even though South Korea is the strongest country."

"My aim here is to enjoy this wonderful, competitive and vibrant atmosphere. I will try my best to complete all of the events and add a medal to my collection," Phương added.

Hyrox fitness racing combines both running and functional workout stations, in which participants run 1km followed by one functional workout station, repeated eight times.

Each race is hosted indoors in expansive exhibition halls, creating an immersive and electrifying experience, where athletes are fuelled by the roar of the crowd from the very beginning to the very end of the event.

This race format remains consistent around the world, enabling global leader boards and a cumulative World Championships at the end of each race season.

"Among the workouts, what I dread most are the Sled Push and Sled Pull, known as two of the most physically demanding and taxing stations in a Hyrox race," said Phương.

She loves the running parts the most, since she is best known as the first Vietnamese runner to finish all six of the World Marathon Majors, earning her a six-star medal.

“Training is crucial in every sport. As a Hyrox coach, I’m able to create my own training plans and tailor them to improve the areas where I need the most work,” she said.

Less than a decade old, Hyrox has been practised in the world for several years, but is still very new in Việt Nam. Phương is one of the first Hyrox athletes in the country, and the most decorated one.

She was the only Vietnamese athlete at the world event in 2025 and now again in 2026.

A strong contender, Phương stood on top of the podium four times, in tournaments in Chinese Taipei, Incheon, New Delhi and Seoul. She has also earned two second- and three third-place finishes in other competitions.

After years of practise, Nguyễn Tiểu Phương has made her name in many international hyrox tournaments.

"These achievements came after 22 years of practising in the gym and more than 13 years of marathon running," Phương said.

"Every sport requires investment and discipline if you want to win. Here is my recipe for success: scientific training, superior nutrition and maximum recovery.

"I have seen an increasing number of athletes in this sport, which will explode in Việt Nam in the near future. Previously, I was the only competitor from Việt Nam in international events, but currently more and more Vietnamese people are crossing the border to vie against international rivals."

She added: "Once Hyrox is organised in Việt Nam, it will be a strong push for the community. Many young Hyrox athletes set their targets at the world championships, and I believe that some Vietnamese will qualify for the 2027 edition." — VNS