Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk apologized and retroactively withdrew from a Beijing HYROX race after experiencing fecal incontinence during the event but continuing to compete and win her age category. Viral footage of the incident sparked widespread public criticism.
Australian HYROX athlete Joanna Wietrzyk has apologised after a controversial incident during a race in Beijing sparked widespread attention online. Wietrzyk, who competed in the Women’s Pro division, appeared to suffer sudden fecal incontinence during the event on September 12 but continued racing and eventually finished first in the 16–24 age category.
Footage from the event circulated widely on social media, showing Wietrzyk continuing through the demanding HYROX course after the incident. The race includes running and shared functional exercise stations, including rowing, sled pushes and other high-intensity movements. The situation prompted questions about how the incident was handled and why she was allowed to continue.
Wietrzyk later addressed the controversy in an Instagram statement. “I want to offer my sincere apology to the people of China, my fellow competitors, the spectators and the HYROX organisers for what happened during the race in Beijing,” she wrote.
Check the viral post here:
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She said she had felt “completely fit and healthy” before the race and acknowledged that she should have stepped off the track. Wietrzyk added that she took responsibility for continuing and was “deeply sorry for the discomfort and disruption it caused.”
The athlete also announced that she would retroactively withdraw from the race and forfeit the points she earned from her victory. She said the experience had taught her that “there is more to life than racing” and that she needed to recognise when it was appropriate to step away.
The controversy also prompted HYROX to introduce new procedures. The organisation said race directors can now withdraw competitors on medical grounds if blood, vomit, urine or faeces creates a welfare or contamination risk. HYROX co-founder Moritz Fürste also acknowledged that the organisation had made a mistake by not reacting immediately.
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