At a small gym in Damascus, a new kind of sporting community is taking shape. Amid pounding music, gruelling workouts and a communal atmosphere, fitness coach Khaled Al Nehlawi is bringing Hyrox to Syria, one rep at a time
After returning to his country with a passion for the global fitness race, which combines running with strength and endurance exercises, the 36-year-old athlete saw an opportunity to introduce it to a generation of young Syrians eager to try something new
What began as a way to continue practising a sport he loves has since grown into Move, Syria’s first Hyrox community
The international fitness phenomenon has grown in popularity in recent years, and Hyrox competitions are now held around the world. Its format is simple but demanding: eight 1km runs, each followed by a functional workout station, including sled pushes and pulls, rowing, walking lunges and wall balls
“Over the past period, I had seen how much energy and enthusiasm young people in Syria have, but the options for modern sports were somewhat limited,” Mr Al Nehlawi told The National. “Since I returned, I felt that I didn’t just want to practise the sport here; I also wanted to build a community around it and give people the opportunity to try something new.”
And so, Move was born in April 2026. Short for Make One Victory Every Day, it reflects Mr Al Nehlawi’s philosophy as a fitness coach and his vision of building a community centred on progress, consistency and a shared sense of achievement
“For me, victory isn’t always about winning a race or lifting a heavier weight. Sometimes victory is simply turning up to training when you don’t feel like it, breaking your personal record or even being slightly better than you were yesterday. That’s the idea I want Move to represent,” he said
Since its launch, the Move community has been steadily gaining momentum. Classes are held three days a week at Helfawi Fitness Club, with sessions at 7am and 7pm to accommodate different schedules, and plans to add more as capacity allows
The strong turnout in just a few months has given Mr Al Nehlawi reason to believe that the community has the potential to become something lasting
“I knew there was an interest in sport, but once we started seeing people coming regularly, challenging themselves and asking for more, that’s when I realised there was genuine demand for this type of sport in Syria,” he told The National
Mr Al Nehlawi sees that enthusiasm and appetite as part of a broader shift among young Syrians, particularly following the fall of the Assad regime and Syria’s subsequent efforts to reconnect with and reintegrate into the wider world
“Syrian young people have always had ambition and energy, but sometimes the circumstances around them limited their ability to turn that energy into projects and ideas. Today, I see more people willing to try something new, build communities and think about what Syria could look like in the future,” he said
For Mr Al Nehlawi, that openness matters because sport can offer more than just physical benefits. It can create spaces for people to meet, connect, support one another and work towards a shared goal
“One of the most rewarding things was seeing young men and women training together and encouraging one another. That’s exactly the kind of community I wanted to build,” he told The National.“We want anyone who joins Move to feel that they have become part of something bigger than themselves, whether their goal is to compete in a Hyrox race, improve their fitness, or simply lead a more active lifestyle.”
Now, Mr Al Nehlawi hopes to take the community beyond the capital, with ambitions of seeing Syrian athletes compete and represent their country in Hyrox races abroad, while eventually establishing Damascus as a destination for the sport
“I hope the day comes when we see athletes from different countries coming to Damascus to compete in a Hyroox race, while at the same time discovering Syria through sport.”
