Ninja-style Obstacle racing to be a ‘game-changer’, says UIPM President on International Youth Day

Celebrating International Youth Day today on August 12, UIPM President Rob Stull highlighted that the introduction of Ninja-style Obstacle racing will be a game-changer for future generations of young people around the world.

With 1.2 billion young people aged 15 to 24 years, making up 16% of the global population and projected to grow to nearly 1.3 billion by 2030, President Rob Stull expressed his excitement for Obstacle’s debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. This event is set to be an urban festival for sports fans in LA28’s Valley Zone and those tuning in around the world.

“We’re experiencing incredible interest in the new discipline around the world,” said UIPM President Rob Stull. “There's no doubt that when fans witness our Ninja-style Obstacle race during the LA28 Olympic Games, we'll have future generations of athletes and fans from all backgrounds queuing up to get involved.

“Young fans and families will be tuning in to the most innovative sport in the Olympic Movement, watching the most versatile athletes in the world. They will see a sport that is now faster, more dynamic and more accessible, and it will be a game-changer.

“We're preparing for an audience of billions of young people worldwide tuning in for these Games. And as the Olympic Games now resonate more strongly with Gen Z than with the general population*, we anticipate a huge surge in social media activity and online engagement.

“As we celebrate International Youth Day, I encourage young people around the world to check out Obstacle racing and tune in via YouTube to our upcoming Pentathlon World Championships in Kaunas, Lithuania, for a taste of the spectacular new format.  in the state-of-the-art Žalgiris Arena, one of the best venues of its kind in Europe.”

The UIPM 2025 Pentathlon World Championships will take place in the Žalgiris Arena in Kaunas, Lithuania, from August 26-30.

* Source: International Olympic Committee: Around 5 billion people - 84 per cent of the potential global audience - followed the Olympic Games Paris 2024