Speed, strength, and a new gold standard — HYROX Berlin sees Eisenlauer and Williamson rewrite the record books.
World records don’t tend to stick around long in the full-throttle world of HYROX.
More than half a million people have entered competitions across 11 countries in the 2024/25 season — a dramatic rise from the previous year, as athletes of all backgrounds flock to test their mettle in the ultimate fitness race.
And two of them just made history at HYROX Berlin. Jake Williamson and Fabian Eisenlauer became the first ever duo to break the 48-minute barrier, setting a new world record in the Men’s Open Doubles division.
The pair powered through the course at staggering pace, crossing the finish line in 47:57.
Rich Ryan and Pelayo Menéndez Fernández had held the record since clocking 48:36 in Dallas back in 2023.
However, they now slip to third on the all-time leaderboard, with Ben and Harry Sutherland moving into second after also beating their time at HYROX Berlin — albeit by just one second.
HYROX Berlin: A Partnership Made in HYROX Heaven
While few could have predicted Eisenlauer and Williamson breaking the 48-minute barrier, a big performance at HYROX Berlin was certainly on the cards.
Williamson, a British athlete and former semi-professional footballer, was part of the England team that won gold in the Mixed Relay Invitational in Nice last year.
His stock has continued to rise in the global HYROX scene since.
The 26-year-old, a proudly gay competitor and LGBT+ activist, also qualified for the new Elite 15 Pro Doubles category at the HYROX World Championships earlier this May.
He teamed up with Slovenia’s Alen Ploj on that occasion, finishing second in a tightly contested race at HYROX London Olympia.
Next up? He’ll be heading to Chicago’s Navy Pier on 12 June, hoping to secure a place on the podium.
Eisenlauer — a fellow ESN-sponsored athlete — has overcome unhealthy relationships with alcohol and personal mental health struggles to become an accomplished triathlete.
Channelling his hybrid know-how into HYROX, he now boasts 11 races under his belt and a reputation as one of the sport’s rising stars.
Following the pair’s record-breaking effort at HYROX Berlin, fans were quick to call for Eisenlauer’s inclusion in Germany’s relay team for Chicago.
One wrote on Instagram: “Fabi for Team Germany Relay Chicago.”
On this occasion, he didn’t make the cut — with German team captain Tim Wenisch instead selecting Linda Meier, Seka Arning, and Jannik Czapla.
HYROX Berlin 2025 took place from 16–18 May at Berlin’s iconic Tempelhof Airport.
The Men’s Open Doubles category features the same eight functional exercises, each separated by eight 1km runs.
Team-mates run together, splitting the functional stations between them. The Open division features slightly lower weights than the Pro.
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