Stellenbosch University (SU) students and couple Frans van der Merwe and Liza du Toit claimed victory at the Virgin Active HYROX contest in Cape Town.
Competing at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from 3 to 5 April, the pair finished in 58:55, securing first place in the 16-24 age group in the mixed doubles category. The result also earned them a spot at the HYROX World Championships in Sweden this June and boosted them to 48th in the current world rankings of their age group at the time of publication.
According to their official website, HYROX is a global indoor fitness race that alternates 1km runs with functional workout stations across eight rounds, totaling 8km of running. Stations include the SkiErg, sled push and pull, burpee broad jumps, rowing, farmers carry, sandbag lunges, and wall balls.
For Du Toit, a second-year BCom (Management Accounting) student at SU, it was her first HYROX event. “Now it actually feels real,” she said, describing qualifying for the Worlds as a privilege.
Van der Merwe, a third-year BEng (Industrial) student at SU, said the achievement felt surreal, particularly while balancing full-time studies. “The craziest part is that we’re basically 20, 21 years old and doing these types of things,” he said.
Their partnership proved central to the win, with the doubles format allowing them to manage fatigue across stations. “I think we complemented each other so well,” said Van der Merwe, adding that their dynamic made “[the] race so much better”.
Preparation in the final three weeks leading up to the event played a key role in their performance. “We basically trained every single day,” said Van der Merwe. “It shaped us into competing at a different level.”
While the pair attended HYROX classes together to structure their training, they often trained without personal trainers to strengthen their communication and shared goals. “[That way] we can make that connection of understanding what we want a bit stronger,” said Van der Merwe.
Tiaan Beukes, co-owner of Unlocked Fitness in Devonbosch, Stellenbosch, where the two attended classes, said their result reflects a strong work ethic. “It speaks to a very high level of discipline, consistency, and commitment,” he said, adding that structured and purposeful training is key at this level.
The 1km runs proved a crucial factor in their final time, with Van der Merwe and Du Toit among some of the fastest in the Mixed Doubles category. They placed seventh overall in the running splits and consistently held top-six positions through the final four rounds – a clear reflection of their strength as runners. Their overall time ranked fifth across age groups in the Mixed Doubles category.
Balancing academics and training remains a challenge, but Du Toit said time constraints can work in their favour as they prepare for Worlds. “If you know you only have an hour to train, you’re going to do everything more effectively.”
With the World Championships set for 18 to 21 June in Stockholm, Sweden, the pair are now focused on improving their running. They aim to cut around two minutes off their time as they prepare to compete internationally.