On 7th June 2024, Alexander Rončević achieved something he’d been chasing for years; he became a world champion. As someone who has been at a high level in sport (including HYROX) through much of his life, winning the HYROX World Championships in Nice was a dream that had been so close for so long, and now it was finally realised.
We had a chat with the main man to discuss how he got to this position as the King of HYROX…
Foundations Set in the Pool
Before finding HYROX, Rončević (who works as a Primary school teacher during the day) spent several years as a competitive swimmer. Competing at the national level in Austria, he specialised in breaststroke, with his most significant achievements including a second-place finish at the National Championships, and winning the Austrian Junior Nationals.
After swimming, Rončević dabbled in other sports before finding his true calling in HYROX. But it was the physical and mental endurance developed in the pool which laid the groundwork for Rončević’s HYROX successes. The discipline of waking up early, the long hours spent honing technique, swimming up to 80km per week and the experience of competing at a high level, he believes instilled in him the mindset that would help him to become a World Champion:
“Swimming taught me discipline and mental resilience,” Rončević reflected “It was a tough sport with gruelling training sessions. We went through a lot – we had a Hungarian coach who was very old school and would have us swim up to 10km per session. But it ultimately prepared me for the physical and mental demands of HYROX.”
A Journey of Elite Consistency
Since stepping into the HYROX arena, Rončević has consistently been one of the top athletes in the sport. At the time of writing he’s taken part in 33 races, his first being back in 2018. His current personal best is 53:31m. In 2019, he finished second at the World Championships in Oberhausen, and after that stood on World Championship podiums a further 3 times (2nd in Leipzig in 2021, 3rd in Las Vegas in 2022, 2nd in Manchester in 2023) prior to lining up in Nice at the 2024 World Championships.
Some of the races that stand out most in his memory during his time in the sport have been on home soil. “The Vienna races are always memorable for me,” he shares “Competing in front of my family, friends, and supporters in Austria gives me extra motivation. The atmosphere in Vienna is electric. It’s like the whole city is behind you, pushing you to succeed. There’s something very special about winning at home.”
That atmosphere was evident, in particular, at the 2024 European Championships in Vienna which Rončević won in impressive fashion on a Friday night in front of hundreds of home fans. It felt like he put on a show that night, and for many it was a performance that made followers of the sport believe that this year – finally – the World Championship title could be his for the taking.
“Fitness wise, I was on another level during that race. I don’t know if it was just the crowd, the family, the friends who were there but it was really special and to be able to defend my European title in my home city meant a lot to me.” he reflected.
An Athlete for All Conditions
Very few athletes in HYROX, if any, have been able to perform as consistently well as Rončević over the years. I asked him if he felt there were any specific factors that play a part in helping him to do this. He told me it’s his years of consistently practicing performing in all conditions…
“I used to swim for almost 20 years. I went to training before school, and after school, under every condition; summer, winter, it didn’t matter if it was too cold outside, if it was too hot, or if I was sick. I always got it done. And I continue to work on this area.” he told me “For example, imagine you have to pee. If that happens to me during a workout, I’m finishing the workout. I’m not going to toilet because that could happen in a race too. Sometimes, I’ve even been known to wake up in the morning at 2am or 3am and need to go to the toilet. But instead, I’ll put on my shoes and go out for a run because I want to be able to perform under every circumstance.”
The Pinnacle of Success: Winning the HYROX World Championship
After several podium finishes, Rončević finally reached the pinnacle of HYROX success when he won the HYROX World Championship in Nice in June 2024.
The championship race was a fierce battle from the start, with the lead frequently changing – especially in the early stages between Rončević, Michael Sandbach and the reigning world champion, Hunter McIntyre.
Reflecting on his victory, Rončević said, “Winning the World Championship was a dream come true. It was the result of years of dedication, not just in HYROX but in all the sports I’ve competed in throughout my life. This win validated everything I’ve worked for. Everybody who’s knows me knows that I work really hard. And to – at least one time – be the best in the world at this sport has long been a goal of mine. “
The triumph solidified Rončević’s place amongst the legends of HYROX. Having gone into the race with the nickname “Mr Consistency” following his years of consistently high performances and World Championship podiums, this win, for some, just might have even earned him the nickname “Greatest of All Time”.
Channelling his Inner Stallone
One of the most interesting aspects of Rončević’s racing attire in Nice was his decision to wear a cap throughout the race, especially as HYROX races can often feel very warm. When asked about it, Rončević shared his source of inspiration: the 1987 Sylvester Stallone movie Over the Top. In the film, Stallone’s character uses the act of turning his cap backward to mentally prepare himself for tough arm-wrestling matches, symbolising a shift into “battle mode.”
He told me he started wearing the cap in Cologne, in April 2024, an event at which he broke two world records (in the Men’s Open and the Mixed Doubles). “I’d got two world records in that cap and thought it could bring me some luck for the race in Nice. And it worked! I often train in a cap so I’m used to it, it’s not like it makes me feel hotter and, in fact, it helps to keep the sweat out of my eyes. I doubt I’ll race in it all the time, but we’ll see!” he explained.
Training Philosophy: Smart, Not Just Hard
So clearly, he works on his mindset. But how about the physical training? What are his secrets there?! “I train hard, but not at maximum intensity every time,” he explains. “I’m usually at about 85-90% of what I can do. This way, I can recover quickly and be ready to go again the next day.“
His training volume certainly isn’t as high as many other Elite 15 athletes, a luxury afforded to him, in part, because the swimming training he did when he was younger meant he already had an incredible base level of fitness to work from.
His training plan is very flexible, and often decided by how he is feeling on the day. “I don’t follow a specific plan. If I wake up in the morning and I don’t feel like doing intervals today, then I don’t do intervals today. Then I have a rest day, or I go for a bike ride or I do a strength session. I change things up how I want. For me, I can’t set a plan on Sunday for the next week as you never know what happens during the week. Maybe you don’t get enough sleep one day. And then it’s obviously you can’t go hard on the next day, so you need to listen to your body.” he told me.
He ensures that the training he does do is as time efficient as possible, “I do 6 to 8 training sessions per week. Sometimes I might do 2 sessions in one day – one before school, one after, but even then, it’s not more than 60 minutes and I’m never longer than 90 minutes in the gym. I go in, start with the warmup, do my workout and I go. There is no wasting of time. I’m there to work out. I’m there to go for my goals.”
The Future
As HYROX continues to grow globally, with events expanding to new countries, Rončević is excited about the sport’s future. He predicts even faster times and tougher competition in the coming seasons. “The whole field is catching up,” he notes. “Next season, I think we’ll see new records and even more athletes breaking into the Elite.“
Despite the increasing competition, Rončević remains confident in his ability to stay at the top. His eyes are set on breaking new records and continuing to push the limits of what’s possible in HYROX. “I’m not done yet,” he says with a determined smile. “I’ll be back, faster and stronger.”
You can listen to the full interview with Rončević on the Rox Lyfe podcast.
