“I always say to everyone, all the children in my school, that my sister is my biggest inspiration.”
Hannah Watson smiles as she glances full of adulation at her older sister Aimee.
The siblings from Cardiff are preparing for the Hyrox World Championships in Stockholm, Sweden, as they juggle their teaching careers and their athletic ambitions.
Aimee, 25, first took up Hyrox two years ago as a way to keep herself fit in the off-season of her football career.
Not everyone goes from trying to keep out shots from the likes of Ella Toone and Lauren Hemp to burpee broad jumps.
Aimee was a goalkeeper for Wales’ Under-19s football team and represented Wales at Under-19 level in cricket too.
But it was Hyrox which ultimately grabbed hold of her, especially when she got her sister Hannah, 22, involved.
“Competing as sisters, there’s something inside of you that ignites a flame,” Aimee told BBC Sport Wales.
“My first ever Hyrox was a solo in London.
“I thought I’ll just turn up and give it a good go, had absolutely no idea what I was doing, but completed it.
“The next time I said, ‘Hannah, there’s some doubles, should we give it a go?’.
“Out of nowhere we were doing our first pro doubles together and we found ourselves on the podium.”
A first place finish in their age grade at the Manchester Hyrox in 2024 saw the pair seal a spot at the World Championships.
The sisters would finish 37th in their age group in Chicago in a time of one hour, three minutes and 56 seconds.
“I think everyone says it now in Hyrox, of course they’d love to be the best and that will take time,” Aimee said.
“But we’re prepared to go through it and keep putting the work in and commit to it and see how far it can take us.
“The training is about the process and going through it and putting the yards in every single day.
“We’ve got the right coach under us now who’s making us hit targets we thought we’d never achieve.”
This year the sisters are hoping to go under the hour mark in the Swedish capital.
“Our goal for the World Champs is a bit ambitious,” said Hannah.
“I think if we don’t get that [under one hour] we’re just going to keep pushing for it and then hopefully then next year do some big competitions.
“We are hoping to podium again and then qualify for the 2027 [Hyrox World Championships].”
