Australian Hyrox athlete Joanna Wietrzyk has issued a public apology to the people of China and her fellow competitors after winning a recent event in Beijing despite soiling herself during the competition. Alongside her apology, the world record-holder announced she is retroactively withdrawing from the race and forfeiting her victory points.
In a statement shared on Instagram on Thursday night, Wietrzyk offered her sincere apologies to Chinese spectators, rival athletes, and the event organizers. She acknowledged that she made the wrong call by continuing to compete under those circumstances, admitting that she should have stepped off the track and that "there is more to life than racing."
The incident occurred during Saturday's event in Beijing, where footage of Wietrzyk winning the race went viral. The video showed her completing demanding physical exercises and using communal fitness equipment despite having faecal matter running down her legs. Wietrzyk explained that she felt entirely healthy and fit when the race began, with no warning of any oncoming illness. However, she expressed deep regret for her decision to keep going, taking full responsibility for the disruption and discomfort she caused.
Hyrox competitions require participants to alternate between running a single kilometer and performing high-intensity workouts at shared stations. These stations feature communal equipment, including rowing machines, sled pushes, burpee jumps, medicine ball throws, and lunges performed while carrying sandbags.
The athlete's apology follows action from the sport's governing body. Earlier in the week, Hyrox co-founder Moritz Fürste apologized on Instagram to everyone affected directly or indirectly, admitting the organization made a mistake by not intervening immediately during the race. Fürste confirmed that Hyrox has updated its rulebook to prevent similar situations. Prior to these changes, the rules penalized minor infractions like littering, spitting, or clearing one's nose on the floor, but did not include any protocol for faecal matter.
Concluding her statement, Wietrzyk expressed gratitude to those who have offered kindness and support. She stated that she plans to take time away from the public eye to recover, reflect, and focus on her family.
