Elite endurance athlete Hidde Veersma has been crowned HYROX EMEA-2026 champion after an inspiring performance in London, where the Dutch-born competitor became the first man to complete the race in under 53 minutes.
With an official time of 52 minutes and 42 seconds, Veersma cemented HYROX’s impressive season, which began with his successful qualification in Hamburg and then went to London to defeat established stars such as Alex Roncevic and Dylan Scott. He was beaten across the finish line by Tim Wenish, but penalties meant Veersma was the clear winner.
What is HYROX?
HYROX races combine running with functional training. Each participant will run a total of 8 km, divided into 1 km sprints. Between each sprint are eight exercise stations, typically featuring distance challenges such as the SkiErg, Sled Pull, and Farmer’s Carry.
Who is Hidde Veerma?
Growing up in Rotterdam, Veersma was a soccer and track athlete before making a name for himself in triathlon. Veersma’s experience as a strength and conditioning coach for the Dutch Olympic team was a solid foundation for some epic performances, and he became one of HYROX’s youngest competitors. Elite 15 categories only in 24
During HYROX EMEA Championship On March 20, 2026, at the London Olympics, Veersma completed the following milestones in spectacular fashion:
- 1000 m skiing: 3 minutes and 36 seconds
- 50 m sled push: 2 minutes and 10 seconds
- 50m sledding: 2 minutes and 48 seconds
- 80m Burpee Jump: 2 minutes and 9 seconds
- 1000m row: 3 minutes and 49 seconds
- 200m Farmers carry: 1 minute and 21 seconds
- 100m Sandbag: 2 minutes and 51 seconds
- Wall balls: 4 minutes and 5 seconds
- Total execution time: 29 minutes and 57 seconds
- Grand total: 52 minutes, 42 seconds
You can watch Weersma’s winning speech below.
To follow Hidde Veersma on Instagram, Click here.
