Leading the Way: Jake Williamson on Visibility, Victory, and the Road to Stockholm
Like many of his fellow competitors, Jake Williamson never spent time as a young man poring over his training journals, with his sights set on becoming a professional HYROX athlete.
- The sport didn’t exist until 2018, and it wouldn’t be until years later that Williamson ran his first race.
In four short years since, he has risen to the top – a dynamic athlete and role model in competitive fitness – and is a major contender to win his division at the HYROX World Championships, just about a week away.
Some Background
From a young age, Williamson played sports, most notably soccer, which was the norm for a young person growing up in the U.K. His athletic career carried him through to university, where he planned to pursue a professional career before COVID.
- At that point, his plans derailed. But his love of sport and competition remained, as did his running prowess.
In March 2023, in Barcelona, Spain, he toed the line at his first HYROX in the Pro Men’s division, finishing in 1:06.
After March, Williamson raced five more times that year, with a turning point in the winter. In December, he finished second in the Pro Men’s division in Stockholm with a time of 59:04. Weeks later, in January, he took second again in Manchester with a time of 1:00.
At this point, he had qualified to race in the Elite 15, which he did at the North America Championship in Washington, D.C.
- He finished 12th in 1:02, and his status as a premier competitor in the sport was official.
Since then, Williamson has raced in every division, competed with multiple doubles partners, taken first place at the 2024 World Championships in Nice, France, in the Mixed Relay, and taken second place at the 2025 World Championships in Chicago in the same division.
While he qualified with Alan Ploj at the Hamburg Major (whom he raced with at the 2025 World Championships), he will be competing in Stockholm with former World Champion Hunter McIntyre.
2026 Season
While it wasn’t a planned change to the season’s plans, after the Melbourne Major (and after qualifying with Ploj in Hamburg), Williamson was approached by McIntyre, who asked whether they could team up to qualify and compete at Worlds.
- “In this sport, you find yourself with many acquaintances,” Williamson told Morning Chalk Up, “not many friends that you really connect with.”
And for Williamson, McIntyre is one of those friends – one he has had for years, even though the two race against each other season after season.
- “The opportunity to race with Hunter was too great to pass up. It’s not every day that someone like him asks you to (partner),” Williamson said.
He knew he couldn’t say no. That meant forfeiting his qualification with Ploj and attempting to qualify again with McIntyre. Williamson’s friendship with Ploj was temporarily strained, though it has since been repaired. Williamson and McIntyre went on to qualify for Worlds via the Phoenix Major.
True to Himself
Through success, partnerships with Puma, and a massive social media presence, Williamson has stayed true to himself, unabashedly sharing intimate details of his life with the world.
As an openly gay man, Williamson believes that representation and visibility are essential to dismantling the barriers that still exist in sports.
He understands that for many young LGBTQ+ athletes, seeing an openly gay competitor thrive on a global stage isn’t just inspiring; it’s affirming. It tells them they belong. That their identity isn’t a limitation. That they can compete, win, and be celebrated exactly as they are.
- “There was a good six to seven year window when I played (soccer), and I couldn’t be myself,” Williamson said.
Now, however, is a different story.
- “I like to think I lead the way with visibility – that you can be a top athlete and be gay,” Williamson said.
With HYROX being a new sport, Williamson pointed out that today’s societal norms are, for the most part, celebrated or, at the very least, accepted. And as HYROX continues to grow, it’s encompassing a wide spectrum of athletes, with so many individuals represented. It truly is for everyone, Williamson insists.
The Bottom Line
The countdown to the World Championships is on, with just a week to go before athletes from around the world descend on Stockholm for their shot at a podium spot.
Williamson and McIntyre are among the favorites to win the Men’s Elite Doubles title, but they’ll be racing against powerful duos such as Tim Wenisch and Alexander Roncevich, as well as James Kelly and Jake Dearden.
Another detail to note: the U.K.’s Williamson and the USA’s McIntyre may be a one-and-done team. Next season, both racers must be residents of the same nation, all the more reason not to miss their historic run.
