Hyrox Athlete Forfeits Beijing Victory and Apologizes After Continuing Race After Soiling Herself

Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk has issued an official apology and retroactively forfeited her first-place finish at the Hyrox Elite 15 event in Beijing after continuing the competition following a bodily accident.

Wietrzyk won the women's pro division in the Chinese capital on Saturday with a recorded time of 1 hour, 1 minute, and 23 seconds. However, footage and images showing her competing with visible faeces on her leg circulated widely online, triggering public criticism regarding event hygiene and safety protocols.

Public Apology and Forfeiture of Victory

In an Instagram post published on Thursday, Wietrzyk expressed regret over her decision to stay on the course and confirmed she would forfeit both her race victory and the ranking points earned.

"I want to offer my sincere apology to the people of China, my fellow competitors, the spectators and the HYROX organizers for what happened during the race in Beijing."

She noted that she felt "completely fit and healthy" prior to the start, with "no reason" to anticipate any health issues:

"Looking back, I regret the decision to not have stepped off the track. I recognize that I should have made a different choice. I take responsibility for my decision to continue and am deeply sorry for the discomfort and disruption it caused."

"I know my actions had an impact beyond myself, and I am genuinely sorry to everyone who was affected."

"I am learning from this experience and will carry those lessons with me, including remembering that there is more to life than racing and knowing when it is right to step away. On reflection, I have decided to retroactively withdraw from the race and forfeit the points I earned."

Rule Updates and Venue Cleanup

The incident prompted responses from event organizers and co-founder Moritz Fürste, who apologized for how the situation was managed. While Hyrox stated it maintained "clear biocontaminant and medical procedures in place", it acknowledged that "an unforeseen situation arose" where rules became blurred, "creating ambiguity in how they were applied and understood".

In response, Hyrox announced updated safety regulations that grant race directors explicit authority to pull any competitor from an event if blood, vomit, urine, or faeces presents a health or contamination threat to others. Any participant removed under these conditions will be classified as a non-finisher (DNF).

Hyrox China confirmed that affected race sections were isolated and disinfected immediately, while contaminated carpets and shared workout equipment were removed and replaced before the next day's events.

Additionally, organizers warned that anyone targeting Wietrzyk with online harassment or threats of violence would be permanently banned from future events, emphasizing that "there is no place in our community for threats of violence or encouragement to harm an athlete."

Overview of the Hyrox Format

Founded in Hamburg, Germany in 2017, Hyrox is an indoor fitness competition that made its debut in mainland China in late 2024. The format requires participants to complete eight 1-kilometer running laps, interspersed with eight specific workout stations: