In a display of grit, timing, and downright German efficiency, Linda Meier and Tim Wenisch stormed the HYROX World Championships 2025 in Chicago and left the favourites gasping for air — and answers.
The HYROX World Championships, already notorious for its blend of athletic sadism and cult-like fandom, served up another year of upsets, breakthroughs, and wallball-induced existential crises. But make no mistake: this wasn’t just another title race — it was a changing of the guard.
Meier’s Masterclass: The Return of a Record-Breaker
Linda Meier, a former world record holder who’s been circling the Elite 15 podium like a hawk with unfinished business, finally landed.
With a blistering time of 58:55, she didn’t just win — she demolished her previous best by nearly two minutes and outpaced heavy favourites Joana Wietrzyk (AUS) and Lauren Weeks (USA) in a race that saw tactics, tenacity, and timing collide.
“Meier began to push the pace in the 3rd km gaining 10s on both athletes,” the event recap detailed, and from there, she never looked back.
The German surged during the sled pull and pulled further away with each run, hitting the wallballs with a 10-rep lead — then coolly dropping 100 unbroken reps in 3:28 to seal the win.
Behind her, Wietrzyk (59:15) and Weeks (59:41) had to settle for silver and bronze, while British newcomers Sinead Bent (60:20) and Lucy Procter (60:52) impressed on debut. Emilie Dahman (NDL), just 20 years old, finished sixth, reminding us that the next wave of stars is already knocking.
🏃♀️ Top 10 HYROX Elite Female Results
| # | Athlete | Time (mm.ss) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Linda Meier | 58.55 |
| 2 | Joanna Wietzryk | 59.15 |
| 3 | Lauren Weeks | 59.41 |
| 4 | Sinead Bent | 60.20 |
| 5 | Lucy Procter | 60.52 |
| 6 | Emilie Dahman | 61.10 |
| 7 | Vivan Tafuto | 61.56 |
| 8 | Amy Bevilaqua | 62.28 |
| 9 | Jess Pettrow | 62.50 |
| 10 | Melanie Maurer | 63.20 |
Official top 10 from the HYROX Elite Female division.
The Bigger Picture in the Women’s Field
This was no fluke. Meier’s redemption arc is a testament to the evolution of the HYROX athlete — a mix of speed, strategy, and mental steel. “In a field that ranged from a 20-year-old to a 51-year-old,” noted the organisers, “it’s evident the evolution of elite racing is by no means a finalised formula.”
From veteran comebacks to Gen-Z breakthroughs, the women’s elite field is becoming less predictable and more competitive — just how we like it.
Wenisch Outduels the Sheriff: Redemption for Germany, Part II
On the men’s side, three-time World Champion Hunter McIntyre set the early pace — as is tradition — but it was Tim Wenisch, a man who’s spent more time in recovery than racing over the past two seasons, who played the long game to perfection.
McIntyre exploded out of the ski with a 3:25/km pace, but the German stayed cool, slowly carving out a lead through the sled pull and pushing ahead at the halfway point. When McIntyre tried to claw back with a 2:34 Burpee Broad Jump section, his tank started flashing empty.
The finale was a nail-biter. Wenisch, navigating a few shaky no-reps on the wallballs, still managed to finish two reps ahead of McIntyre, sealing his first World Championship in 53:52, just five seconds clear.
🏃♂️ Top 10 HYROX Elite Male Results
| # | Athlete | Time (mm.ss) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tim Wenisch | 53.52 |
| 2 | Hunter McIntyre | 53.57 |
| 3 | Dylan Scott | 54.57 |
| 4 | James Kelly | 55.26 |
| 5 | Jonathon Wynn | 55.48 |
| 6 | Tom Rodgers | 55.53 |
| 7 | Hidde Weersma | 56.08 |
| 8 | Alexander Roncevivc | 56.20 |
| 9 | Beau Wills | 56.50 |
| 10 | Graham Halliday | 57.00 |
Official top 10 from the HYROX Elite Male division.
Scott Climbs, Kelly Slips
Dylan Scott, the diesel engine of the men’s field, lived up to his 2025 billing with a third-place finish — a just reward for a season built on relentless consistency. But James Kelly? Early fireworks gave way to a disappointing 4:23 sled pull and a missed podium, leaving the Brit “fuelled to perform in the 25/26 season,” according to event organisers.
Wenisch’s win marks a redemptive high after seasons marred by injury. McIntyre may have missed out on a historic fourth title, but his resurgence proves he’s not just back — he’s dangerous. The men’s field, once dominated by a few names, is now a dogfight.
What It All Means
With Germany claiming both the men’s and women’s crowns, and rising stars from the UK, Netherlands, and the US snapping at their heels, the HYROX World Championships have never looked more wide open — or more global.
There’s no one formula for success anymore. Old guard, new blood, comeback stories and rookie flashes — they’re all part of this chaotic, glorious sport. And if 2025 was anything to go by, the 25/26 season is going to be absolute bedlam.
And thank God for that.
