Beijing Obstacle worlds a key step toward LA28

"You get a lot of benefits by being part of an Olympic family, and our benefits will extend to that community," he added. "The events will be better organized. We have full-time staff who are dedicated to this. It's a win-win situation for everybody. The big winners are the athletes, the families and the participants who want to enjoy the sport."

One of the oldest events in Olympic history, modern pentathlon will be held at the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area during the LA28 Games.

"Our venue in Los Angeles is with the cool kids. We share the venue with skateboarding, 3x3 basketball and BMX. I call them the 'cool kids' because they are the urban sports," Stull said.

To help make the sport more appealing to younger audiences, UIPM has partnered with obstacle race brands Spartan Race and Tough Viking.

"In Beijing, you're going to see 100m, 400m and 3,000m races. The 3,000m race is a Spartan event, while Spartan Race also adopted 100m from us. Their general philosophy on sports is very similar to ours," Stull said.

The slogan for the 2025 Obstacle World Championships is: "Conquer the Great Wall". Stull said he hopes to visit the landmark if given the chance.

"There are two types of people. Some are trying to set the world record and win the big prize money. And you have other people, like me, who just want to finish," he said.

"I would probably walk the course, and maybe I would have a drink along the way. My goal would be just to finish."

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