Asian record holder and National Para Games gold medallist Shalini Saraswathi shares her experience at Ultrahuman HYROX Bengaluru
Bengaluru, 16 April 2026: Ultrahuman HYROX Bengaluru, held on 11th and 12th April at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre, saw the specially-abled athletes in the Adaptives category emerge as one of the most inspiring highlights of HYROX India’s biggest event to date, reinforcing the idea that the race is truly for everyone.
At the heart of this was Shalini Saraswathi, a quadruple amputee whose journey continues to redefine resilience in sports. In 2012, a rare bacterial infection led to multiple organ failures, eventually resulting in the loss of all four limbs. What followed was an extraordinary comeback. She went on to win a Gold Medal (2021) and a Silver Medal (2022) at the National Para Games in the 100m sprint. Shalini also represented India at the Asian Games in Hangzhou 2023 and holds the Asian record as the fastest woman on blades in the T62 category.
Having retired from professional athletics, HYROX became her next pursuit. “Now that I’ve retired from professional athletics, I needed another goal to work towards and HYROX seemed like a great mix of endurance and strength,” she said.
About her experience at the Ultrahuman Hyrox Bengaluru, she shared, “ I pretty much liked all the stations, but the wall balls were really tough for me. The support from volunteers at stations was fantastic, and the crowd energy was unbelievable, that’s what really got me through.
Another athlete from the Adaptives category was Veenita Johnson from Pune who lives with bilateral peroneal neuropathy (foot drop) and has rebuilt her life around movement. Balancing competition with coaching responsibilities, while also having multiple trainees competing at the event, she embodied the community-first spirit of HYROX.
“Competing in the Adaptives category was a great experience. It gave me the space to perform better. Overall, the race felt incredibly rewarding,” she said after crossing the finish line. Speaking about the atmosphere, she added, “The crowd support made a huge difference. I had HYROX staff, my gym community, trainees, and even complete strangers cheering me on at every station, it made the entire race feel like a celebration.”
Rishi Vakharia, a Navi Mumbai-based engineer working in the medical devices sector, has had a hearing disability since birth and uses bilateral cochlear implants, which allow him to communicate and function independently in professional and social environments.
His decision to take on Ultrahuman HYROX Bengaluru was deeply personal. About what inspired him to take on the challenge, Rishi stated, “My motivation to participate comes from my commitment to building a strong, healthy, and disciplined lifestyle. For me, HYROX represents more than a fitness competition, it reflects resilience, structured training and pushing personal limits despite challenges.”
“As someone with a hearing disability, I wanted to demonstrate that physical performance and determination are not limited by impairment, and I hope my participation encourages others with disabilities to explore fitness confidently,” he concluded.
About HYROX:
HYROX is a global ecosystem of events, training, and coaching designed to inspire and impact 100 million lives. Built around a unique race format of 8 x 1 km runs and 8 workout stations, HYROX has established the gold standard in fitness competition and is driving toward Olympic recognition. By connecting the world’s gym communities through the transformative power of training and competition, HYROX is the cultural heartbeat of fitness. For more information visit www.hyrox.com.
ABOUT ULTRAHUMAN
Ultrahuman is a global health technology company building the world’s most comprehensive wearable ecosystem. Its flagship product, the Ultrahuman Ring AIR and PRO, combines cutting-edge hardware with science-backed insights to help users optimize sleep, recovery, movement, metabolic health, and reproductive awareness. In 2025, Ultrahuman was named one of TIME’s World’s Top HealthTech Companies, recognised for advancing accessibility and preventive healthcare.
About PUMA:
PUMA is one of the world’s leading sports brands, designing, developing, selling and marketing footwear, apparel and accessories. For over 75 years, PUMA has relentlessly pushed sport and culture forward by creating fast products for the world’s fastest athletes. PUMA offers performance and sport-inspired lifestyle products in categories such as Football, Running and Training, Basketball, Golf, and Motorsports. It collaborates with renowned designers and brands to bring sport influences into street culture and fashion. The PUMA Group owns the brands PUMA, Cobra Golf and stichd. The company distributes its products in more than 120 countries, employs about 20,000 people worldwide, and is headquartered in Herzogenaurach/Germany.
For more information, please visit: https://in.puma.com/in/en
