Guan Zhibin Wins HYROX Shenzhen — What Are the Specs of His 'Little…

At last week's HYROX Shenzhen, PUMA once again turned in an impressive performance.

The PUMA team stood on the podium 26 times over two days, claiming 10 age-group first-place finishes. The women's doubles pair of Liu Zhijun and Liao Lujiao, wearing the Deviate NITRO Elite 4 HYROX, finished in 59:02, becoming the first elite women's doubles team from the Chinese mainland to break the 60-minute barrier. In the open men's four-person relay, Su Yan, Guo Lingkun, Xu Kecheng and a teammate set a new national record with 51:32.

The Deviate NITRO Elite 4 HYROX accounted for nearly 27% of podium athletes at HYROX Shenzhen, fully proving how comfortable and popular the shoe is.

Notably, the shoe was released in two new colorways, black and white. If elites can wear them to podiums and set records, you now have a more versatile HYROX "partner" too.

Three HYROX appearances,

Guan Zhibin fulfilled his dream of becoming a champion.

At this event, Hong Kong actor and singer 关智斌, together with his partner 胡仲斌, wearing the new white PUMA Deviate NITRO Elite 4 HYROX, posted 1:11:26 to top the Shenzhen 50–54 age-group men's doubles podium, fulfilling his championship dream.

As a multiple HYROX finisher, he also improved his previous men's doubles PB of 1:11:59 this time.

Kenny Kwan andHu Zhongbin together topped the age-group podium.

This wasn't his first time competing in this model: at Shanghai he wore fuchsia, at Chengdu teal, and at Shenzhen pure white.Guan Zhibin seems to be wearing the Deviate NITRO Elite 4 HYROX while "collecting stamps" at the HYROX venue.

The two new black and white colorways are also worn by many recreational racers. But关智斌 choosing white lets us sense a celebrity's pursuit of minimalist tones, likely reflecting his personal aesthetic.

Guan Zhibin wears the new white model.Deviate NITRO Elite 4 HYROX

What color to wear is no longer decided by "this event's main visual," but by "I want to compete in an outfit I'm happy with today." That's exactly the same desire recreational runners have.

The same pair of shoes,

a choice for many.

Besides the Shenzhen stop results mentioned in the introduction,Elite Men's Doubles 2nd overall and 30–34 age-group winner Ma Donghao also posted 55:17 wearing the same race shoes; PUMA athlete Zhang Beixuan also recorded personal bests in both women's singles and women's doubles...

Race photo of Liu Zhijun at the Shenzhen stop

The elites' shared choice proves the Deviate NITRO Elite 4 HYROX remains the sport's top kit to date — but why?

If you've done HYROX, you knowit's not pure running; it demands that you be "fast and stable" — a contradiction road racing shoes can't resolve.Meanwhile,the Deviate NITRO Elite 4 HYROX strikes that balance exceptionally well.

On the run sections, NITRO FOAM ELITE foam paired with a forked PWR PLATE carbon plate delivers the propulsive feel of a road racing shoe.

But in HYROX, the real time gaps are made in areas that road running shoes don't usually focus on.

Ma Donghao and his partner took 2nd overall in the Elite Men's Doubles and 1st in the 30–34 age group.

When pushing the sled with alternating front/back foot drives, the circular lugged outsole design plus an 8mm drop bites into the ground and stabilizes the center of mass. The forefoot won't slip and lose force from insufficient friction, nor will excessive rolling from too much forward lean disrupt smooth power delivery.

A wider full-length midsole platform combined with midsole foam tuned stiffer than the road version keeps you steady during farmer's carries. When throwing wall balls, from thigh extension to core engagement, the "force-from-the-ground" sensation is transmitted more directly.

On the burpee push-off, the Ultra Weave upper locks the midfoot securely; the heel remains well-locked during repeated pushes, quick stops, and take-offs without vertical slip. After an hour of high-intensity "run training," excellent breathability also ensures comfort inside the shoe.

PUMA has rebalanced the "fast and stable" attributes on a road-shoe blueprint — you won't be shortchanged in the running sections, and you won't be let down in the strength events.

Not a replacement,

but a complementary option.

HYROX racing has been booming for over a year, and until recently neon-color shoes dominated the race scene.

On a sporting stage that so fully showcases personality and vitality,emphasizing "individuality" is crucial.。

Buttoday's races are dominated by a sea of neon colours—elites and everyday runners alike wearing the same shades—leaving little distinction and inevitably causing awkward "shoe clashes."

These days,PUMA's understated, easy-on-the-eye black/white colourways fill a gap in HYROX run/training shoe color options, finally giving HYROX shoes an "everyday aesthetic" choice.

Look: for everyday outfits, white sneakers and black shoes have always been the go-to versatile choices. The same applies to athletic shoes. Who wouldn't want a pair that's versatile, comfortable, and high-performing?

Some competitors even wear their race-day shoes during regular training; theirmotivation is simply to switch to a more minimalist look and a more relaxed mindset.It's not only mass-participation runners who need "one more option"—elite and star athletes do too. What Guan Zhibin and others wore at the Shenzhen leg is a good example.

On race day, a glance down,these versatile colourways became a kind of ID for the PUMA community and for athletes who are outwardly low-key but inwardly fiery, bringing a distinct sense of ritual.

Guan Zhibin andHu Zhongbin during a transition

These two new colourways, like the earlier magenta and teal, will be on sale long-term.

The addition of black and white lets you choose according to personal taste, making it easy to find your own "simple, low-key" comfort zone and return sport to "purity and focus."

PUMA interprets podium-level performance through more versatile aesthetic colourways, positioning itself as a new choice for more athletes.

If you want to "make a statement" once, magenta and teal are available; if you'd prefer to be "low-key and focused," give the black-and-white duo a try.

[End-of-article interaction]

#What kind of design features would you like to see on HYROX shoes in the future?#

Text / Editor: Cavendish

Image sources: Pao Ye Da Baozha, PUMA Official.

Visuals: Max

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Guan Zhibin Wins HYROX Shenzhen — What Are the Specs of His 'Little White' Sneakers?