When Sayeeda Abrar and Sindhura Pudota signed up for the HYROX race in Delhi recently, they weren’t chasing a podium finish. But as they crossed the finish line—lungs burning, legs aching, hearts full—they had no idea they had just placed second in the Women’s Doubles category.
The second edition of the race in India brought together over 2,500 participants from across the globe. The Women’s Doubles category alone saw close to 200 participants compete.
Amid a high-powered field, the duo stood out—completing the grueling course in an impressive 1 hour and 32 minutes, just three minutes behind the winners.
Fuelled by purpose, not podiums
Unlike a typical fitness event, HYROX is a global indoor race that fuses running with functional workouts. Athletes alternate between eight one-kilometre runs and eight workout stations inside a 400-metre indoor track. The sequence includes ski erg, sled push, sled pull, burpee broad jumps, rowing, farmer’s carry, sandbag lunges, and wall balls—a true test of both endurance and strength. Participants can enter solo, in doubles, or as a four-person relay team, across Pro, Open, and various age divisions-making the event both inclusive and fiercely competitive.
For Sayeeda Abrar, a veteran fitness professional and marathoner, HYROX was a natural next step in a life shaped by wellness. “Fitness is a way of life” says Sayeeda, a long-time member of the Hyderabad Runners group. “It has never been about medals or podiums-it isn’t what motivates me.”
From tennis court to race cours
Sindhura Pudota, a former national-level tennis player and full-time mother of two, calls the experience “nothing short of magical.” She began her fitness journey just a year ago. “I don’t know why I didn’t start earlier,” she reflects. “The best part of HYROX is that it’s inclusive-I saw 70-year-olds participating!
The atmosphere was surreal-people flew in from the U.S., Singapore, France, and the U.K. I never imagined myself participating in something like HYROX, let alone finishing second.”
Sindhura believes HYROX is more than a competition—it’s a movement. “It has bigger aspirations than just being a fitness brand. It hopes to eventually become a full-fledged Olympic sport.”
The duo is training for the third edition of the race, this time in Mumbai, scheduled for September.
Sayeeda Abrar
“For me, It has never been about medals or podiums—it isn’t what motivates me. Fitness is a way of life. HYROX was a natural next step in a life shaped by wellness.”
Sindhura Pudota
“The atmosphere was surreal-people flew in from the U.S., Singapore, France, and the U.K. I never imagined myself participating in something like HYROX, let alone finishing second.”