Linda Meier and Tim Wenisch Crowned HYROX World Champions in Chicago

The HYROX World Championships in Chicago delivered drama, upsets, and standout performances across both the Female and Male Elite Individual divisions, with Germany’s Linda Meier and Austria’s Tim Wenisch emerging as World Champions.

Female Elite Individual: Meier Makes Her Mark

Former world record holder Linda Meier (GER) stormed to victory in the Female Elite race, upsetting pre-race favourites Joanna Wietrzyk (AUS) and Lauren Weeks (USA). Her winning time of 58:55 marked a massive personal best and her first HYROX World Championship title.

Meier executed a perfectly paced race, gaining time steadily from the third kilometre onward. By the sled pull, she had built a significant advantage, especially over Weeks. Despite pressure from Wietrzyk in the middle stations, Meier’s consistently stronger run splits allowed her to extend the gap. She entered the final wall balls with a 10-rep lead—and closed with 100 unbroken reps in just 3:28, sealing a dominant and emotional victory.

The race also spotlighted emerging talent, with strong first-time performances from Sinead Bent, Lucy Procter, and Emilie Dahman, all of whom made their World Championship debuts.

Full Female Elite Results:  

Place  Athlete  Country  Time

1        Linda Meier          GER    58:55

2        Joanna Wietrzyk  AUS    59:15

3       Lauren Weeks      USA    59:41

4       Sinead Bent          GBR    60:20

5       Lucy Procter         GBR    60:52

6       Emilie Dahman    NED    61:10

7       Vivan Tafuto         USA    61:56

8      Amy Bevilaqua      USA    62:28

9      Jess Pettrow           USA    62:50

10    Melanie Maurer    SUI     63:20

11    Kate Davey            GBR    63:36

12    Ida Mathilde Steensgaard   DEN   63:56

13    Lauren Griffith    USA     65:08   

Male Elite Individual: Wenisch Fulfills His Potential

After battling injuries in recent seasons, Tim Wenisch (AUT) delivered a career-defining performance to win the men’s title with a time of 53:52, narrowly edging out 3-time World Champion Hunter McIntyre (USA).

The duo broke away early, with Wenisch gaining a decisive lead after the sled stations. McIntyre pushed hard to close the gap, including a blazing 2:34 Burpee Broad Jump, but couldn’t quite reel him in. In a dramatic wall ball finish, Wenisch held off McIntyre by just two reps to claim his first World Championship.

Dylan Scott (USA) continued his breakout season with a signature late-race surge to claim third and his first ever podium finish at the World Championship level.

Full Male Elite Results:

Place

Athlete

Country

Time

1     Tim Wenisch         AUT     53:52

2     Hunter McIntyre  USA     53:57

3     Dylan Scott           USA     54:57

4     James Kelly           GBR     55:26

5     Jonathan Wynn    AUS     55:48

6     Tom Rodgers       GBR     55:53

7     Hidde Weersma  NED     56:08

8     Alexander Roncevic AUT     56:20

9     Beau Wills             AUS     56:50

10    Graham Halliday GBR     57:00

11    Rich Ryan              USA     57:01

12    Pelayo Fernandez Menendez ESP     58:41

What This Means for HYROX

This year’s championship showcased both the strength of seasoned veterans and the rise of new stars. From Meier’s return to the top to Wenisch’s long-awaited redemption, the elite field continues to push the limits of performance.

Notably, the age range in the women’s top 10 spanned from 20-year-old Emilie Dahman to 51-year-old Amy Bevilaqua, proving that longevity and fresh talent are coexisting forces in HYROX's evolving elite landscape.

As the 2025/26 season approaches, HYROX racing is poised for even greater milestones—with more unpredictability, more talent, and even higher stakes.