This Gay Athlete Made Hyrox History And He’s Doing It Proud!
Meet Jake Williamson, the gay athlete who, alongside partner Fabi Eisenlauer, just smashed a Hyrox world record.
So, What Exactly is Hyrox?
Think of it as a demanding fitness race that truly tests your limits. Competitors push through one kilometre runs followed by a different functional workout station, repeating this gruelling combo eight times. Last weekend in Berlin, Jake Williamson and Fabi Eisenlauer became the first pair ever to complete the Hyrox Men’s Open Doubles in under 48 minutes. Their incredible new world record time was a blistering 47 minutes and 57 seconds.
This isn’t Jake’s first taste of record-breaking glory. In 2023, the 26-year-old athlete also set a national and world record for his age group, 25 to 29, when he competed solo.
For Jake, these achievements are about more than just personal bests. He recently spoke with OutSports about his drive to represent the LGBTQIA+ community within Hyrox, especially at the upcoming world championships in Chicago. This motivation stems partly from a challenging experience where he was removed from a football team’s WhatsApp group after coming out.
“I feel Hyrox is a super inclusive space,” Jake told the publication. He did express uncertainty about official Pride Month celebrations by the organisation in June. “But I’d like to think by having me on the Elite doubles start line in Chicago, and breaking a world record, I can play a small part in making people feel like it’s a space for them.” And honestly, isn’t that something we all want to see more of in sport?
Coming Out Was the Real Challenge
Back in February, Williamson spoke at Attitude 101, where he encouraged others to take their time coming out. “The hardest part for me was coming out to myself,” he said.
His advice? Start with the people closest to you. “The more you can verbalise it and come to terms with things in your own head, the more confident you’ll become.”
When asked how life has changed since coming out, Williamson kept it honest: “Real happiness. I’ve always been confident, but not always 100 percent comfortable in my skin.”
