Cardiologist Warns HYROX Racers After Athlete Collapse
A cardiologist warns HYROX competitors to race within their training limits after a participant suffered cardiac arrest, noting that sudden cardiac events occur in roughly 1 in 5,000 people aged 50 and over during intense endurance competit
A cardiologist has issued urgent health warnings to HYROX participants following reports of a competitor experiencing cardiac arrest during the race. Social media page Ploy Talk shared images and a post describing a HYROX competitor receiving chest compressions and requiring hospital transfer.
Dr. Akkanit Srisukwattana, a cardiologist specializing in sports medicine, responded with detailed guidance on his page Akanis Srisukwattana. He noted that sudden cardiac arrest during competition occurs at a rate of 1 in 100,000 for the general population, but increases to approximately 1 in 5,000 for people aged 50 and above or those with pre-existing medical conditions.
While insufficient data exists to confirm whether HYROX carries higher mortality risk than running or other endurance sports, the discipline combines running with power endurance elements, causing heart rate and blood pressure to spike significantly—especially during high-resistance stations like sled push, sled pull, and burpee broad jumps, which place greater strain than standard running.
The doctor emphasized competing at the level of training completed, without forcing pace or intensity beyond individual capability, particularly for those with risk factors such as high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, smoking history, or cardiovascular disease. During competition, competitors should avoid maximum effort at every station and maintain controlled breathing, especially at heavy stations, to allow the heart to recover before resuming running.
For at-risk individuals, exertion should generally be maintained at RPE 7/10—tired but still controllable, able to speak in short sentences. Intense effort at levels 8–9/10 may occur during racing but should not be sustained.
Immediate stopping and notification of event medical staff is required for these symptoms: chest tightness or pain, abnormal breathlessness relative to exertion, dizziness or blurred vision, fainting, irregular heartbeat, or cold sweating with impending loss of consciousness.
The doctor concluded by encouraging all participants to enjoy competition safely: at-risk groups should race at a sustainable level matching their training, undergo pre-race screening to assess personal risk factors, and plan participation appropriate to their physical condition.
