Irma Sparks Personal Trainer, Hyrox Athlete, Runner

Some of the most memorable moments that's not linked to my races at HYROX Official Puma x Hyrox World Championships in Stockholm 🇸🇪 due to the sheer magnitude of the experiences and the lengths to which title sponsors (and other sporting brands) went to, to promote their products with free giveaways!
📷 1: The opening ceremony performance by THE STICKMEN PROJECT 🔥 pure fireworks!
📷 2, 3: The way Hyrox transformed a 50 000 seater football stadium into a WC indoor Hyrox arena... Strawberry Arena was the race venue of a lifetime.
📷 4- 8: watching the E15 championship races live from the stands and top it off with an up close and personal experience of the drama at the Men's Individual final moments.
📷 9: PUMA Training handing out free sunglasses 😎💚 that matches my race outfit!
📷 10: Myprotein free product in the athlete village 💥
📷 11: adidas Training found a way to put "World Championships" on their free socks at their activation in the Westfield Mall of Scandinavia 🧦
📷 12, 13: Nike Training covered a whole hotel next door in white cloth as they launched Nike Hybrid.
📷 14: Nomio handed out free recovery shots (4 per box) on the stairs on route to the arena.

These memories will live on in my mind for a very long time!

Some action shots from our Women's Doubles at HYROX Official Puma x Hyrox World Championships 2026.

Racing Doubles is a partnership and should never be driven by individual goals.
Strategies should be altered in the moment if need be. So, instead of me leading the run laps to pull us to a faster run time, Natalie led within a "range of discomfort" she could sustain for at least 90 minutes.... It was disturbing to watch her suffer but I knew how badly she didn't want a DNF and a big part of making that happen was up to me.
As planned, Natalie completed slightly longer Ski and Row Erg distances while I did a bigger chunk of BBJ, Farmers Carry and Lunges due to good available reserves since I was running at sub max HR and to "save" Natalie's knee.
On Sleds we stuck to a 50/50 split and we rocked the final Wall Balls station as planned clocking a 3:59 minute WB time!

⚠️DISCLAIMER: Next up, my personal take with no disrespect to my injured Doubles Partner.
This was definitely the Hyrox race I enjoyed the most, was most "present" in, allowed myself the luxury (and pleasure) to interact with spectators and cheer on fellow athletes on course while NOT losing count of the laps! It's actually possible to have fun when you're not totally gassed and in oxygen deficit 😁

I'm a fierce competitor but I realized for the first time how "performance driven racing" can rob you of the joy of just being "a part" of something.
On Saturday night I became "a part of something" much bigger than simply hammering out result/performance driven goals.
Much respect and thanks to Natalie Ralphs for doing Hyrox WC with me! Rest up and come back stronger.

REVIVE | Daily Electrolytes
New Balance Running
South Africa

Thursday 18 June:
Getting ready and lining up for the Walk In of Nations 🇿🇦 at Puma x Hyrox WC 2026 🇸🇪... here's what you DIDN'T see on the livestream... 🤩🙌

Team SA was represented by over 130 athletes this year (including the E15 WOMEN'S DOUBLES duo of Vicky and Danel who finished in 6th place on the world stage)!!
It's a large number of representatives for a country that only hosted 4x Hyrox Events in the 2025/26 season 👊
💥Fun Fact just released: the USA 🇺🇲 had 1 athlete for every 8 at this WC!

HYROX Official
HYROX South Africa
The Yard Athletic Cape Town

Hyrox Women Friday 19 June:
Puma x Hyrox World Championships 2026 in Stockholm 🇸🇪was EVERYTHING I could ever wish for 🙌✨️

In 2024 I set myself a personal goal of qualifying for the season finale of the 2025/26 season, to represent 🇿🇦 (and race) on the big stage amongst the best in my age group. Because it's only there where you will get humbled but also find out what you're made of!

This past weekend it became reality.
What an incredible event by HYROX Official from registration and race organization, to fan village, security and partner activations.
The magnificent Strawberry Arena rose to the occasion on all levels!

⏱️ 1:24:39 is my fastest race time to date. I has taken me 2 years to get there!
And I'm very proud of my 20th/64 finish in AG 60-64, because you can only really rank yourself when you've raced against the best athletes from around the world.

HYROX South Africa
The Yard Athletic Cape Town
REVIVE | Daily Electrolytes
Running Science

🎛🎧 as performed live by THE STICKMEN PROJECT at the WC Opening Ceremony.
📷 pro action: Sportograf
📷 finish stage capture: Corlia Meyer

We had ONE goal at the HYROX Official Puma x Hyrox World Championships 2026 🇸🇪 Women's Doubles this evening, and that was to get our 2nd WC Finishers Medal and patch 26 hours after our Individual races last night.
And we succeeded!

When adversity strikes you don't abandon your partner either way, you adjust the game plan....
Whilst Natalie had severe discomfort, with good teamwork and communication on the go, we crossed the finishline for the 2nd time this weekend.
GOAL ACCOMPLISHED!
So much respect for you my friend, I wouldn't do a Doubles Race with any one other than you 💜💚 We're not done yet.

PS: see 📷 6 how I get a warning at Sled Pull for stepping over the line 😉

HYROX South Africa
REVIVE | Daily Electrolytes
New Balance Running

What an honor to line up next to the best women in AG 60+ at the HYROX Official Puma x Hyrox World Championships 2026 in Stockholm! 🇸🇪
An opportunity earned, not given.

Very happy with my race, got a new PB of 1:24:37 placing 20th/64 athletes in AG 60-64.
I guess that makes me a top 20 finisher, right? 😁😉

Thanks to everyone cheering me on from the arena sidelines, I heard you all!
📷 thank you Carminda Bisogno and Raees Kajee
for capturing some moments!

🙏Thanks to the following for assisting me in getting to this day:
The Yard Athletic Cape Town
REVIVE | Daily Electrolytes
Running Science
👟👕 New Balance Running
🇿🇦

There is no better place to be than in Sweden over 🇸🇪 🌸
Add in the magnitude of HYROX Official Puma x Hyrox World Championships 2026 and you have an unforgettable combination!
Grateful and proud to be part of the 0.5% of Hyrox athletes that qualified in the 2025/26 season to race against the world's best in our age groups....
✅️ registration done.

💦 REVIVE | Daily Electrolytes

🇿🇦

Yesterday Rebecca and I did an Archipelago Boat tour.... there's approximately 30 000 islands, islets and rocky outcrops and it covers +/ 1700 km². We saw just a small part of it. Highly recommended if you're in Stockholm, informative guide, beautiful views and fika included on the M/S Vindhem 🛟

Sightseeing in Stockholm for a few days... beautiful structures, views and buildings, a city filled with culture and history 🇸🇪

Almost time to focus on the main reason I'm here for....
HYROX Official Puma x Hyrox World Championships 2026 kicking off on Thursday 18 June.
➡️ Swipe to the final pic to see the bus stop billboard!