How does someone accidentally join their university’s rowing team, go on to become a world champion in indoor rowing, and eventually transition to a new fitness discipline like HYROX? These are questions Ward often hears.

From soccer to indoor rowing

Ward’s first love was soccer. He even played for Roda JC’s U23 team, a Dutch professional football club, but balancing it with his studies became too difficult. While attending PXL University of Applied Sciences in Hasselt, Ward frequently trained on a rowing machine at the gym. Impressed by his performance, the head of the rowing team invited him to take a test.

In 2018, after a year of rigorous training, Ward competed for the first time in rowing and was crowned Belgian Champion. By 2019, he had earned the titles of European Champion and World Champion in the under-18 category at the World Championships in Los Angeles. He successfully defended his world title in 2020, starting a winning streak that lasted until 2023, when he finished second. Undeterred, Ward reclaimed his world title in 2024. And now, he has done it again, securing his seventh world title and further cementing his place in rowing history.

Outdoor challenge

Transitioning from indoor to on-water rowing seemed like a natural step, but it came with challenges. Rowing on water requires not only physical strength but also mastery of technique and adaptability to changing conditions like wind and waves. After several years of balancing both disciplines, Ward decided to focus solely on indoor rowing, a sport that had captured his heart. Around the same time, he embraced the growing sport of HYROX.

New focus: HYROX

HYROX is a unique fitness competition that blends endurance and strength. Competitors run 1 kilometer, followed by a specific fitness exercise, repeating this cycle eight times. In total, HYROX athletes run 8 kilometers while completing a variety of strength-based challenges.

TV personality

Ward first caught the attention of Flanders in 2021 when he competed in The Container Cup, a popular sports TV show. There, he set record after record, outperforming seasoned cyclists like Tim Declercq and Jasper Philipsen. His dominance in the competition drew comparisons to elite athletes like Mathieu Van der Poel. Since then, Ward has become a familiar face on TV, participating in other programs like De Verraders, Dat Eet Dan Gelukkig Zijn and Bake Off Christmas special, further solidifying his place in the spotlight.