World Triathlon approves the HYROX and Swimrun

World Triathlon held its 2025 Congress in Wollongong, where it approved new official disciplines, presented the 2026 calendar and confirmed the election of Marisol Casado as honorary president.

A key Congress for the future of triathlon

Wollongong (Australia) was the scene of the XXXVIII World Triathlon Congress, held on October 18th as part of the 2025 World Championship Finals.

Chaired by Antonio F. ArimanyThe meeting brought together 112 national federations, both in person and online, marking the beginning of a new era for the international organization.

In his inaugural address, Arimany stressed the importance of collaboration between member countries and the commitment to institutional transparency, before introducing the new Secretary-General, Jon Wyatt, who made his debut in the position with the presentation of the Strategic Plan 2026–2029.

This plan defines a roadmap focused on the sustainable growth of triathlon and multisport, focusing on innovation and the global expansion of the calendar.

Two new disciplines are born: Fitness Racing and Swimrun

One of the ads The most notable achievements of the Congress were the approval of two new official disciplines under the umbrella of World Triathlon:

• Fitness Racing, inspired by the international format HYROX, combines functional stations with running segments.
• Swimrun, based on the Swedish modality Ötillö (“island hopping”), which alternates swimming and running sections without traditional transitions.

These additions seek to open the sport to a broader, younger audience while maintaining the essence of triathlon.

With this decision, World Triathlon becomes the first international federation to officially integrate both disciplines into its competitive structure.

Cooperation with the PTO and the T100 circuit

During the session, the consolidation of the alliance with the Professional Triathletes Organization (PTO) and T100 Triathlon World Tour, already recognized as the world's leading middle-distance series.

President Arimany noted that these types of private collaborations "are key to promoting a more professional and sustainable model," in line with the vision of transforming World Triathlon into a more commercial and modern organization.

2026 World Triathlon Calendar: Return to Pontevedra

El sports director Gergely Markus presented the 2026 international calendar, which will pave the way for qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

The season will start in Abu Dhabi at the end of March, will continue by Samarkand (Uzbekistan) and Yokohama, and will return to Alghero (Italy). In June, Quiberon (France) will host a new stop before the classic WTCS Hamburg, which will also host the Mixed Relay World Championships.

Among the major new features are the return from London to the circuit after a decade of absence and the Grand Final in Pontevedra (Spain), which will once again become the world epicenter of triathlon in September 2026.

Institutional changes and appointments

The Congress also served to renew several internal committees:

• Arwa Alamoudi (KSA) was elected to the Audit, Risk and Integrity Committee.
• Anette Bruras (NOR) joined the Legal and Constitutional Committee.
• Winston Crowther (Sierra Leone) y Ian Haseldine (Ireland) to the Women's Committee.
• In addition, he was appointed Ravi Mehta (GBR) as a new member of the World Triathlon Tribunal.

One of the most emotional moments came with the election of Marisol Casado , the Honorary President of the organization, in recognition of his years of leadership and his decisive role in the inclusion of triathlon in the Olympic Games.

Congress also approved the incorporation of Timor-Leste and Albania as full members, and the entry of the Balkan Triathlon Association as an associate member.

On the other hand, the suspension of Pakistan and it was confirmed expulsion of inactive federations from the British Virgin Islands, Seychelles and Myanmar.

A step into the future

With a tone of unity and forward-looking vision, the Wollongong 2025 Congress marks a turning point in World Triathlon history.

The expansion of the calendar, the addition of new disciplines, and the strengthening of strategic alliances demonstrate the organization's intention to continue leading the evolution of world triathlon.