Kapuso heartthrob David Licauco has added “competitive athlete” to his growing list of accomplishments after delivering an impressive debut performance at HYROX Taipei, held from February 28 to March 1, 2026.
Best known as the “Pambansang Ginoo,” David stepped into the global fitness spotlight by competing in the HYROX Men’s Open Division—one of the most popular categories in the fast-rising indoor fitness racing series.
HYROX combines functional workouts with endurance running: eight 1km runs paired with eight workout stations, including sled pushes and pulls, burpee broad jumps, rowing, wall balls, farmer’s carries, and sandbag lunges.
Facing nearly 2,000 competitors from different countries, Licauco clocked in a time of 1:07:48 in his first-ever HYROX race.
The result placed him 55th overall and 19th in the 30–34 age group.
His debut also made him the fastest Filipino athlete in the HYROX Open Division across Asia, and the No. 2 Filipino globally for the Men’s Open category.
David marked his HYROX Taipei milestone on Instagram, sharing event photos with the caption, “Crazy start. Not done yet.”
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In a short chat with PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) via Facebook Messenger, David revealed that he had only a month to prepare before joining the competition.
He admitted he was genuinely surprised to set a record on his very first try.
“First time ko sumali and nagka-record pa."
David also provided PEP with more behind-the-scenes photos from his HYROX Taipei experience.
David's post quickly drew hundreds of congratulatory messages from fans and friends.
Among the first to comment was his best friend Dustin Yu, who wrote, “Proud of you.”
Sparkle GMA Artist Center talent Vince Maristela also hyped him up with “Lfg,” an acronym for “Let’s f**ing go!”*
Meanwhile, EA de Guzman left a lighthearted compliment, commenting, “Ang cute mo po.”
Other celebrities who showed their support in the comments section were Kirk Bondad, Marco Gumabao, and John Vic De Guzman, among many others.
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