Securing direct qualification after winning HYROX Pro in Rome at the start of the season, Dzintra Grech has booked her place at next summer’s HYROX World Championships in Stockholm. The Maltese athlete topped the 35 to 39 age category and finished eighth overall among the women with a personal best of 1:07:38; a statement result so early in the 2025 to 2026 campaign and a strong signal of intent for the road to Worlds.
Speaking to Malta Sport, Grech expressed her delight at hitting this target so early and added, “Now the next target is to qualify in Doubles Pro as well.”
Fellow Maltese racer Mark Caruana also impressed in Rome, delivering a high calibre performance in the men’s Pro field to place seventh overall and third in the 30 to 34 age category. Together, the pair underline Malta’s growing presence on the international HYROX stage.
HYROX is billed as the world series of fitness racing: eight one-kilometre runs interspersed with eight functional workout zones, testing endurance, power and pacing. World Championship places are earned by leading finishers in the Pro divisions at designated races, with places rolling to the next athlete if a qualified competitor has already secured or declines a spot. Doubles teams must compete at Worlds with the same partner they qualified with.
For Grech, clinching a Stockholm berth this early removes qualification pressure and allows a clear build towards peak form, with targeted race selections, recovery blocks and zone-specific work. Caruana’s result keeps him firmly in the qualification conversation as the season unfolds, while the performances of both athletes provide a lift for the wider Maltese HYROX community.
With Rome in the books, Malta already has a confirmed contender for Stockholm and tangible momentum at the very start of the campaign.
