World Triathlon has officially announced the renaming of the discipline previously known as Fitness Racing, which will now be called Hyathlon. The update has been formally communicated to national federations following a strategic review process conducted over recent months.
The discipline was incorporated into the statutes during the XXXVIII Congress of World Triathlon held in Wollongong, and was subsequently recognised by the International Olympic Committee –IOC–, placing it under the exclusive governance of the international federation.
A distinct identity within the Olympic ecosystem
Following its statutory approval, World Triathlon carried out a strategic review of the original naming. While the sporting concept and technical structure remain unchanged, internal analysis and feedback from members and stakeholders indicated that the term Fitness Racing was too broad to accurately reflect the discipline’s specificity and maturity. The new designation, Hyathlon, is intended to provide the sport with a sharper identity within the Olympic ecosystem and to strengthen its positioning as a modern, accessible discipline, particularly in urban environments and among younger demographics.
The discipline, initially known as Fitness Racing, draws inspiration from the internationally popular competition format popularised by the HYROX series, built around standardised events that combine endurance and strength. The competitive model consists of eight one-kilometre running segments interspersed with eight functional workout stations, including sled push and pull, rowing and burpees, demanding a balanced combination of aerobic capacity, power and muscular endurance.
This format has experienced significant global growth thanks to its uniform structure, which allows performance comparison across international venues, and its accessibility to both elite athletes and advanced participants. By adopting the name Hyathlon, World Triathlon establishes a differentiated identity under its own governance, avoiding potential ambiguity associated with the broader term “fitness”.
No structural changes to the discipline
World Triathlon has emphasised that the modification concerns nomenclature only. The scope, technical framework and governance structure remain exactly as approved by Congress. The federation has clarified that the change does not represent the creation of a new discipline nor does it alter its recognised status by the IOC, but rather provides greater clarity and long-term strategic stability.
In the coming weeks, World Triathlon will begin reflecting the update across its regulatory and communication frameworks. National federations are expected to receive the Competition Rules for Hyathlon and Swimrun, both recently integrated into the statutes. The federation has also called on its members to formally recognise these disciplines within their respective territories, in order to act as the governing authority before national bodies and ensure their development in line with the established international framework.
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