HYROX world champion who soiled herself announces return to racing
Australian HYROX champion Joanna Wietrzyk is returning to competition weeks after sparking controversy for continuing a race in Beijing despite suffering bowel incontinence during the event.
Wietrzyk announced her comeback in an Instagram video on Oct. 29, saying she was ready to return to the sport after taking time to reflect on what happened.
The athlete is set to compete in the Elite 15 division in Hamburg, Germany, on Oct. 30, marking her first race since the incident on Sept. 12.
“I’ve had some time to reflect over the past six to eight weeks on everything that happened in Beijing, and firstly I just want to say that I’m truly, truly so sorry to everyone that I affected, whether they were spectators or participants out on that race floor, for my decision to choose to continue to race,” she said. “Having that time to reflect, I’ve really learned a lot from the situation and I am very, very sorry for it all."
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Wietrzyk also thanked those who supported her throughout the difficult period and described the experience as “very hard” and “very confronting.”
“I’m super excited to go back to doing what I love and hopefully see you all out there,” she said.
Wietrzyk drew widespread criticism after continuing to compete in the HYROX Beijing event despite visibly soiling herself during the race. She went on to finish first in the women’s Pro division with a time of one hour, one minute and 23 seconds.
In an Instagram statement on Sept. 17, the Australian athlete apologized to fellow competitors, spectators, organizers, and the people of China. She also announced that she would retroactively withdraw from the race and forfeit the points she earned.
The incident also prompted HYROX co-founder Moritz Fürste to apologize for the organization's response. He acknowledged that officials should have intervened sooner and said the organization was implementing new procedures and rule changes to prevent similar situations.
Under the updated rules, a race director may withdraw a competitor on medical grounds if blood, vomit, urine, or feces poses a health or contamination risk to the athlete or others.
HYROX is an indoor fitness competition that combines running with functional workout stations. Participants complete eight 1-kilometer runs, each followed by a workout such as sled pushes, rowing, burpee broad jumps, and weighted lunges.
The sport has grown internationally, attracting both elite athletes and recreational fitness enthusiasts.
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