HYROX Athlete Who Defecated Herself Mid-Race Forfeits Beijing Win: ‘Offer My Sincere Apology’

HYROX athlete has apologised after an embarrassing incident during a Beijing race, where she continued competing despite becoming unwell and later crossed the finish line first.

Australian HYROX athlete Joanna Wietrzyk has given up her Beijing win and apologised after continuing to compete despite suffering a bowel accident during the race. The 24-year-old Melbourne athlete had crossed the finish line first at Saturday’s endurance event. However, her decision to stay in the race after the incident led to strong criticism from spectators and others who questioned why she continued.

Wietrzyk later addressed the incident in a long Instagram post, apologising to people in China, fellow competitors, spectators and HYROX organisers. She also confirmed that she had chosen to withdraw from the event after the fact, meaning she would lose both the victory and the ranking points she earned.