October 13, 2025 – Spartan and Hvar: What happens when the world’s leading obstacle course race (OCR) meets Croatia’s premier island?
It is difficult to describe just how magnificent this weekend was in Hvar Town. As the trademark Hvar sun streams into my bedroom, I am reflecting on what has been my best ever visit to this magical island, a place I once called home for 13 idyllic years.
It is a chameleon of a destination, reinventing itself every month and showcasing another aspect of its world-class offer, which has seen it voted in the top 10 islands by readers of Conde Nast Traveler for at least 20 years. And while the majority of people come for the peak season, October is a truly fabulous month to visit, especially if you are into adventure tourism, October is the time to come to see a truly fantastic partnerhips developing – Spartan and Hvar.
Spartan, the biggest name in OCR assembled more than 4,000 participants from 60 countries for this year’s event. The historic town and its famous main square and waterfront became a touch obstacle course, its back streets welcoming runners, its pristine sea inviting competitors in.
The atmosphere all over town has been magnificent under the trademark Hvar blue skies, as generations of competitors from all over the world descend to compete and fall in love with this magical island.
If you asked me when my favourite times to visit Hvar are, my answers might surprise – Easter and mid-October for this Spartan event. Hvar is many things to any people, but its shoulder season and adventure tourism aspect are one of its relatively undiscovered gems.
After years of the curse and excess of party tourism, it seems that finally Hvar is on the right track, attracting a higher class of tourist, in line with its upmarket image. Full credit should go the city authorities, the Hvar Town Tourist Board and Suncani Hvar Hotels for their part in redirecting the ship.
As for the Spartan adventure itself, apart from watching some races over a Prosecco breakfast at the fabulous Hotel Adriane terrace (see above), I did not get too involved in the specifics, but my colleagues at Tportal had this to say about a rather special young world champion – congrats, young lady!
Amazing 13-year-old kid beats competition on Hvar and wins World Championship
Elizabeth Polsgrove from Colorado won the 100m hurdles on Hvar and won the world championship title at the Spartan World Championship.
In 1991, Chinese Fu Mingxia became the world champion in diving at the age of just 12. American Marjorie Gestring was 13 years and 285 days old in Berlin in 1936 when she won Olympic gold, also in diving, which at the time also counted as a world championship title.
Did you know that the Vatican has a sports team? It arrived on Hvar and has only one member
As of last night, the incredible American Elizabeth Polsgrove has joined the ranks of the youngest world champions in any sport, having won the world championship title in the 100m OCR (obstacle course racing) at the age of 13 years and 330 days.
Elizabeth or ‘Lightning Liz’, as she is nicknamed, achieved this on Hvar, which is hosting the Spartan World Championship for the second year in a row, thus defeating competitors more than twice her age. The fantastic kid not only won but swept the floor with her opponents, none of whom were even close to her.
This sport will be in the 2028 Olympics?
The 100m steeplechase is a very fast growing sport that could be on the program of the next Olympic Games. But not as an independent sport, but as part of the modern pentathlon, in which it should replace the riding discipline. The wish of the World OCR Federation is to have obstacle racing independently included in the program of the 2032 Games in the disciplines of 100m, 5km and 10km.
On the 100-meter track, where competitors race through a 12-obstacle course in a highly dynamic head-to-head format at full speed, Elizabeth had already set a time of two and a half seconds (32.198) better than the competition in the qualifying round. The 32 fastest competitors entered the main draw, and 13-year-old Polsgrove strolled to the title.
She swept the competition
I guess in fear of her competitor, all her opponents made one huge mistake and fell, and the only one who reached the finish line without a major setback was 17-year-old German Lotta Kokemohr. She was four and a half seconds behind Elizabeth in the semi-final duel, while her compatriot Jaleesa Himka fell and finished 14 seconds behind.
“I didn’t have any nerves before the final,” said Elizabeth, who looks like a born athlete, dead calmly after her victory.
‘I don’t know what to say… This is the realization of all my dreams. Two weeks ago I didn’t even know I would be competing here, and now I’ve won. I’m overjoyed. And, I have to say, I’m enjoying it here in Croatia! This is my first time here, Hvar is beautiful and I can’t wait to get on a speedboat tomorrow and see the surrounding islands. It’s beautiful!’, said Polsgrove, who is also involved in athletics, but she loves volleyball the most and would like to play it in the future.
Elizabeth came to Croatia from Colorado Springs accompanied by her father, who said he had never been to an island like this in his life. They were part of the numerous American OCR team. The Americans have had an OCR federation since 2017, while there is only one OCR association in Croatia. In the 100 m hurdles, we saw complete dominance by the Americans, who won all three medals in the men’s competition and gold and silver in the women’s competition. Their celebration was ‘spoiled’ by the aforementioned German Kokemohr, who won bronze.
However, what delights every sports fan is the fact that more or less all the competitors who climbed the podium belong to the ‘kids’ category. Along with the 13-year-old sensation Polsgrove, finalist Jaleesa Himka is 17, as is bronze medalist Lotta Kokemohr. In the men’s competition, there were two brothers in the final; Luke (19) and Kai Beckstrand (21) from Saint George (Utah), and third place was taken by 17-year-old Kieran Yuan.
Everyone delighted with Hvar
‘I’m really proud of myself and my brother. It was easier for me because I knew that one of us would take home that gold, and the good thing is that now I’ll be able to tease him at home for a year. Not too much, but I definitely want a little. And this Hvar of yours… I have no words, it’s a beautiful place,’ an excited Luke told us as dozens of kids asked him for a photo.
And he and Elizabeth seemed surprised by the large number of young fans who wanted to take pictures with them, but they didn’t turn anyone away. Their great results may have sparked the imagination of the Hvar kids and their parents to push them into this very young, but extremely dynamic and fun sport.
In the USA, it has gone very far; the so-called ‘Ninja’ competitions are extremely popular. They are broadcast live on television, their participants are real stars, and they have selected the best from that organization and sent them to this World Championship. In addition to the title of world champion, Elizabeth also took home a prize of $20,000. The second place winner received half that amount, and the third place winner received $7,500.
