Hyrox <\/a>Singapore 2026 wrapping up over the weekend (April 3 to 5), social media has been flooded with personal bests, sweaty selfies, and celebrity sightings.<\/p>\nBut for gym trainer Samuel Lim (aka Uncle Sam), his concerns for the race wasn\u2019t about clout, timing, or star-spotting \u2014 he was worried about losing his voice and navigating the circuit with exercise bands.<\/p>\n
The 44-year-old coach from FireCity, teamed up with two visually-impaired athletes for Hyrox weekends. Yes, that meant he completed not one, but two Hyrox races over two days.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Samuel partnered BK, 46, and Ng Pei Pei, 49, guiding them through the physically demanding race format.<\/p>\n
Speaking about the physical toll, he said: \u201cI\u2019m definitely very \u2018broken\u2019 after two days of racing, plus I\u2019m not very young anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I\u2019m also overwhelmed with all the support and messages. Whether it\u2019s for them or for me, it means a lot.”<\/p>\n
Samuel tells 8days.sg his gym has been been working with visually impaired athletes since July 2025.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe started from small, guided training sessions, and have gradually built more structured classes for race preparation,\u201d he shares.<\/p>\n
While this was Pei Pei\u2019s first Hyrox race competing in the Women\u2019s Doubles, BK returned for his second, levelling up to the more demanding Men\u2019s Doubles Pro category.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I first suggested the November Hyrox to BK last year, he didn\u2019t even know what it was. Now he says he\u2019ll only do it if I\u2019m his guide,\u201d says Samuel.<\/p>\n
As for Pei Pei, Samuel intentionally chose to partner her.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was looking for a female adaptive athlete for mixed doubles. It became more than a race, it was about showing what\u2019s possible,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
He trained with her for three weeks, focusing on key stations like the sandbag lunges and wall balls. No small feat given the weight involved.<\/p>\n
Of course, no one was expecting a walk in the park and Samuel tells us that during race day, there were many concerns that most would take for granted.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was concerned about people cutting in front of them, as that happens a lot in these sorts of races. For us who can see perfectly, it is fine. But for them, they can\u2019t react. So I had to be like 200 per cent focused in terms of spatial awareness, looking up, the front and the back for them as well,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n
To help them navigate during the runs, Samuel used a resistance band so his partners could follow his movement.<\/p>\n
Ironically, one of Samuel\u2019s biggest concerns had nothing to do with his legs or fitness \u2014 he was worried about losing his voice as he had spent the day before his races cheering for his friends.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was quite scared as [having] no voice, means no eyes [for them],\u201d he says sheepishly.<\/p>\n
When 8days.sg mentioned how tense he looked during the wall ball station with Pei Pei, even pushing a falling ball away mid-race, Samuel didn\u2019t deny it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know that she can reach the target, but with the fatigue and the weight on [race] day, I was 100 per cent on the lookout to make sure that the ball doesn’t hit her face,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n
Preparing visually impaired athletes goes far beyond reps and sets, and Samuel says it starts with imagination.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor example, they needed to imagine the movements are first before using the machine. I had to let them touch, and get a feel, have a visualisation or what the machines are like, and how to handle them. With a visually impaired person, we need to be a lot more sensitive to their imagination, and to give them what they need to hear, and feel,\u201d explained Samuel.<\/p>\n
Since the Hyrox weekend, Samuel says interest has been encouraging, from the visually impaired community, as well as others who have shown interest in being a guide.<\/p>\n
\u201cCurrently, we have more sighted partners than visually impaired athletes, but I\u2019m confident that will grow. There\u2019s clearly interest from the visually impaired community to step into training and eventually into racing. it\u2019s just about continuing to build awareness and providing the right support structure,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n