Sam Laidlow “quits” Hyrox after one day and returns to triathlon
The last 6 of January, Sam Laidlow revolutionized the triathlon community with a post on Instagram where he announced his Jump to Hyrox, a discipline that combines fitness and running.
The French athlete announced that he was leaving triathlon to concentrate on this modality, something that took more than one fan by surprise. However, 24 hours later, He clarified that it was all part of a joke and confirmed his commitment to long-distance events.
The move was so disconcerting that some fans immediately thought of the famous “April Fools' Day” of Anglo-Saxon origin.
In fact, it wasn't long before Laidlow posted a short reel of himself attempting to do pull-ups, with a somewhat improvable result.
At the end of that video it read: “Sam Laidlow’s Hyrox Race. Start: January 6, 2025. End: January 7, 2025.”
See this post on Instagram
A false farewell to triathlon
Over the past few months, Sam Laidlow has been showing signs of wanting to try new things, although such a radical change as the one he announced was not expected.
In his initial post, he went so far as to say that it was time to look for new challenges away from triathlon. That short message struck a chord because many considered the young Frenchman to be one of the greatest athletes in the world.efferent in the medium and long distance. His victory in different tests and his remarkable potential in HOMBRE DE HIERRO had placed him in the spotlight of current sports news.
However, it was all a setup intended to shake up the networks and generate expectation.
In less than a day, Laidlow revealed the joke and He confirmed that he is still firm on his path within triathlon. This relief was shared by many fans who celebrated his immediate return. It is therefore clear that the Frenchman will remain in the elite and will not abandon combined races.
During the 24 hours that his alleged withdrawal lasted, all kinds of comments were fired. Some believed that the athlete was seeking more prominence, others thought it was a sponsorship strategy and some even suspected that it was due to a hidden injury. In the end, it was just a humorous gesture.
Objectives 2025
Aside from the brief foray into Hyrox, Sam Laidlow is coming off a stint in the T100 Triathlon World Tour with mixed results.
Last year he achieved a victory in London and a podium in Ibiza, which gave him a good boost, but he ended the campaign in eleventh position due to a ninth place in the opening race and a retirement in the Dubai Grand Final.
Staying out of the overall Top 10 means he does not have an automatic contract with the PTO for this season.
Therefore, if his goal is to repeat in the T100 Triathlon World Tour, he could request a “hot shot” and join the group that includes names such as Hayden Wilde, Leo Bergere, Morgan Pearson or Vincent Luis.
Given that two of his compatriots have already been invited, there is some uncertainty about the space that will be left for him. Nevertheless, his quality is beyond doubt and the organisation may want to count on one of the most media-friendly Frenchmen on the international scene.
Sam Laidlow is also considering the possibility of dedicating himself fully to the IRONMAN slot race, specifically with his sights set on the Nice race and the main event on 14 September.
