Mental Health Worker Steps in to Help NHS Colleague Gain Hyrox World Championship Podium Place

Friday 21st August 2026

Mental health workers from two Welsh Health Boards recently found themselves working together to achieve a podium place for Wales at the Hyrox World Championships – despite never having met before the day of the competition. 

Louis Davies, a mental health worker at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, travelled to Stockholm in June after qualifying to represent Wales at the Hyrox World Championships. As he lives with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), which can affect his co-ordination, balance and cognition when fatigued and overheated, Louis had competed at previous Hyrox events with the help of a guide runner. When a last-minute schedule change saw Louis heading to the World Championships without his planned guide runner, he was left questioning whether he could complete the event without the support he was used to. 

Luckily for Louis, whilst on the plane, he found himself sitting next to a fellow Hyrox competitor with a friend who offered to help him.

That friend was Rhianna Satterly, a mental health worker at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, who was also attending the championships to support her parents in the competition. Despite never having met Louis before, Rhianna gladly stepped in to run alongside and support Louis as he represented Wales in the Men’s Adaptive Neurological Minor category, with the pair instantly connecting over their mutual careers. 

“Hearing Louis share his story was a moment I’ll never forget.” Said Rhianna. “I simply could not believe that the resilient athlete in front of me had once given up on himself following his MS diagnosis. The work that Louis will have put into getting to where he is today was, and still is, unfathomable to me.” 

However, Louis’ race wasn’t without its challenges, with the effects of soaring temperatures causing him to temporarily lose sight in one eye during the competition (known as Uhthoff’s phenomenon). 

"Heat exacerbates my MS symptoms." Explained Louis, 38. "The warm-up event was really hot, so I could foresee it happening and there was nothing I could do about it." 

“Admittedly, my knowledge on MS was scarce, so I spent some time researching the condition and how it may affect Louis while racing.” Said Rhianna. “We were able to strategise for the race in a way that enabled me to support him as best as I could.” 

Louis credits Rhianna for adapting quickly when he lost his sight and guiding him through the race. 

"She was so compassionate." Said Louis. "She asked me what I needed. She was running around grabbing ice packs from the medics and helping pull me through. She kept saying, 'It's your race', and I kept saying, 'No, it's our race'." 

Rhianna said: “The race itself was an absolute honour to be a part of. Louis’s strength, resilience and heart was on full display. I will never be able to comprehend the grit and determination this took. He didn’t even stop for breaks; he had a goal and he did everything in his power to achieve it! He is inspiring beyond words and it was the most beautiful display of resilience in the face of adversity.” 

With Rhianna’s guidance, Louis completed the race and achieved an incredible third-place finish in his category, making him third in the world. Reflecting on the experience, both Louis and Rhianna describe their meeting as ‘life-changing’. 

"I didn't feel judged at all. Talk about person-centred care - it was clear to me that's just the type of person she is, in and out of work." Said Louis. "I’m delighted to see this level of compassion in the existing mental health workforce, which Rhianna naturally carries in herself. She’s relatively early on in her career but I can tell she's going to have a wonderful future in health. It was such a joy to meet her and her family and I'm so excited to see where she goes next." 

Rhianna said: “It came as no surprise to me that Louis worked in mental health for the NHS, given his overtly gentle, curious and incredibly kind manner. It’s a wonderful thought to know that Louis is able to share his boundless empathy and judgement-free nature in a role that is so profoundly impactful within the NHS. I’ve no doubt that we will remain friends for years to come.”