Hyrox star Wietrzyk apologises, forfeits Beijing win after soiling herself during race

Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk has issued a public apology and withdrawn from the Beijing Hyrox event after continuing and winning her race despite soiling herself on September 12.

Hyrox is a global indoor fitness competition launched in Germany in 2018.

Viral footage showing Wietrzyk with faecal matter on her legs sparked intense public debate over hygiene standards, safety and event protocol at Hyrox competitions.

In a statement posted to social media, Wietrzyk apologised for the incident.

“I want to offer my sincere apology to the people of China, my fellow competitors, the spectators and the Hyrox organisers for what happened during the race in Beijing,” she wrote.

She explained that she felt healthy before the event and did not expect to fall ill. However, she acknowledged that she should have stepped off the course before soiling herself.

“Looking back, I regret the decision to not have stepped off the track. I recognise 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.”

Wietrzyk, an elite athlete and strength and conditioning coach with a background in CrossFit, functional bodybuilding and track and field, has been a prominent competitor throughout the 2026 Hyrox season, appearing in Phoenix, Warsaw and the World Championships. She previously won the Warsaw Major and holds a women’s solo pro world record time of 54 minutes and 25 seconds.

Following the backlash, Wietrzyk decided to forfeit the points earned from her victory in Beijing and expressed gratitude to those who supported her.

“Thank you to those standing by me ... during this time. It means more to me than I can properly express right now. I will be taking some time to recover, reflect and look after myself and my family away from the noise.”

Hyrox officials also issued an apology for failing to intervene during the race and announced immediate updates to their rules and health protocols.

“I apologise to all who were directly or indirectly affected, as well as to everyone who felt like we did not handle the situation like we should have,” said Hyrox co-founder Moritz Fürste. “Hyrox made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race. In the end, it is my job to foresee these potential incidents — and I did not.”