Kimberley duo bound for HYROX World Champs in Chicago

Two local fitness fanatics are preparing to take Kimberley — and South Africa — into the spotlight at one of the fastest-growing international sporting events. Hendrika Louw, owner of K-Fit Kimberley Club, and her training partner Hester du Toit have qualified for the 2025 HYROX World Championships, set for June 12 to 15 in Chicago, USA.

Growth of the sport

Their journey to the global stage began in Cape Town last year, where they entered their first HYROX event and won their age group. The success sparked a more intense training schedule and a shared dream to compete among the world’s best.

“Last year’s Cape Town event had around 1,500 entries,” Louw shared. “By March this year, close to 5,000 participants attended. That just shows how quickly HYROX is growing in South Africa.”

The rise of K-Fit in Kimberley

Louw discovered her love for high-intensity functional fitness in Nelspruit before relocating to Kimberley. Faced with a choice to work for someone else or start her own venture, she chose the latter.

“I attended courses on how to train and teach K-Fit, and in 2014 I opened the Kimberley K-Fit Club from my home,” she said. “Eventually, we moved to the Newton NG Church, and from there the club really took off.”

It was in those classes that she met du Toit, who joined in 2015 after a friend’s invitation and was immediately hooked.

“Back then, I was just exercising with friends,” du Toit said. “But when I joined that K-Fit class, I loved it immediately. Today, Hendrika and I push each other to our limits during training because we share the same mindset when we’re in the gym.”

Setting sights on Chicago

The Chicago race won’t be easy, but the duo is aiming for a big milestone.

“If we can complete the challenge in under one hour and 10 minutes, we’ll have achieved what we’ve been training for,” said Louw.

Their preparation, however, hasn’t come cheap. Race entry fees, travel, accommodation and gym time all add up. Fortunately, support has begun to trickle in.

“We want to thank Morgan Nissan Kimberley and Cooling Solutions for backing us,” Louw said. “Their support means the world to us, and if any other sponsors would like to help, they can contact me at 083 236 2046.”

Why HYROX matters

HYROX is more than a workout — it’s a test of mental toughness, endurance, and total-body fitness that’s taken the world by storm. What sets it apart is its standardised global format: the same event structure, whether in Johannesburg or Chicago. Athletes of all skill levels can compare their results across countries, bringing a new sense of community and competition to fitness.

“It’s not just about who lifts the most,” Louw said. “It’s about who can stay strong under pressure and push through fatigue efficiently.”

As Louw and du Toit prepare to represent Kimberley at the highest level, they’re proving that elite athletes don’t have to come from big cities. With grit, heart, and a little help from their community, they’re showing what’s possible — one wall ball at a time.

What is HYROX, really?

In a nutshell it can be described as a world-class race for everyday athletes.

Or, out of the nutshell, think of HYROX as a full-body fitness test – part race, part gym challenge – designed to push both your strength and stamina.

Each race features eight 1-kilometre runs, each followed by a workout station. It’s like doing eight laps of your neighbourhood, but between each lap, you stop to complete exercises like sled pushing or burpee broad jumps.

Here’s what you’ll face in a HYROX event:

• 1,000m SkiErg – Like a standing rowing machine, but simulating cross-country skiing

• Sled Push/Pull – Imagine pushing a heavy shopping trolley … now triple the weight

• Burpee Broad Jumps – Drop down, jump forward. Repeat — for 80 metres

• Rowing – 1,000 metres on a rowing machine

• Farmer’s Carry – Carrying heavy weights in each hand, like overloaded grocery bags

• Sandbag Lunges & Wall Balls – Strength plus balance with weighted movements

It’s physically demanding, but designed to be scalable. That’s why HYROX attracts weekend warriors and elite athletes alike.

In South Africa, the sport only landed officially in 2023 but has already exploded in popularity — and with two Kimberley athletes now World Champs-bound, the Northern Cape’s on the HYROX map.