HYROX athlete Joanna Wietrzyk has apologised for continuing to compete after suffering an embarrassing bowel accident during a race—and acknowledged that her decision exposed fellow competitors to unnecessary risk.
Wietrzyk, a 24-year-old Australian endurance athlete, was competing at the HYROX event in Beijing last month when food poisoning caused her to lose control of her bowels. She continued using equipment shared by other participants despite the incident.
Video from the race showed the HYROX world-record holder running, completing burpees and carrying heavy bags while faecal matter ran down her leg.
Although organisers apologised soon afterwards, Wietrzyk initially did not express regret. She reversed that position on Thursday, issuing an apology after weeks of intense public criticism.
The athlete said the reaction had been “traumatic” and included personal abuse online. However, she conceded that she should have stopped competing once the incident occurred.
She told the BBC: “It happened very suddenly. It wasn’t until I was about halfway through the race that everything transpired.
Joanna Wietrzyk apologised for carrying on after soiling herself during a HYROX event
Wietrzyk shared a photograph from her hospital bed after the race, but her victory triggered a backlash and it took two months for her to express remorse
“At that moment, as someone who is extremely competitive and an elite athlete, my only focus was on the race. Clearly, I did put other people at risk.”
She continued: “I did make the wrong decision, but I don’t think I deserved the level of backlash and online scrutiny that followed. At the end of the day, I’m only human.”
Immediately after the event, Wietrzyk did not apologise. Instead, she posted from her hospital bed on Instagram: “Go hard or go home they say… a win is a win. In all seriousness, thank you all for the support. I’ll be back soon.”
HYROX organisers apologised and promised immediate changes to their rules, while Wietrzyk waited considerably longer before addressing the controversy.
Asked why she had taken more than a month to apologise—and whether the statement was intended to repair her public image—she replied: “I needed that time to reflect and process what happened.”
In an Instagram video posted on Thursday, Wietrzyk said: “I’ve had six to eight weeks to reflect on everything that happened in Beijing.
“I want to say that I’m truly, truly sorry to everyone affected, whether they were spectators or participants on the race floor, because I chose to continue competing.”
The Melbourne athlete won the women’s HYROX Pro event in Beijing with a time of 1:01:23. But footage showing her continue through the course prompted questions about why officials had allowed her to remain in the competition.
Images appeared to show faecal matter running down her legs as she took part in stations using communal equipment.
Joanna Wietrzyk apologised for carrying on after soiling herself during a HYROX event
The episode also put HYROX organisers under pressure, as competitors questioned the hygiene risks, potential contamination and the speed of the response.
HYROX said the affected lanes were isolated, contaminated equipment was removed, and cleaning work—including replacing carpets—was completed overnight before competition resumed.
Wietrzyk faced personal abuse, prompting HYROX to warn that people directing abuse or threats of violence towards her would be banned from future events.
Her coach, Chris Bayens, defended her against attacks while acknowledging that decisions made during the event could be reviewed.
‘Decisions were made under competition conditions by an athlete, judges and officials, all responding to a situation none of them could reasonably have prepared for,’ he wrote on Instagram.
‘It is very easy to construct the perfect response once the moment has passed. Hindsight gives people time, information and distance that simply did not exist for those actually living it.’
Australian fitness star Wietrzyk won her event despite suffering bowel incontinence
Wietrzyk said she was ‘super excited’ to get back on the race floor and do what she loves
Bayens urged people to distinguish scrutiny of the incident from attacks on the athlete.
‘Sport occasionally produces moments that are imperfect and deeply human,’ he said. ‘Discussion is legitimate. The hatred and personal attacks that have followed are not.’
HYROX combines eight one-kilometre runs with eight workout stations, including sled pushes, rowing, sandbag lunges and medicine ball throws.
Wietrzyk’s next scheduled appearance is in the opening race of the 2026-27 HYROX Elite Series in Hamburg on Friday, October 30.