- Joanna Wietrzyk faced backlash after continuing to compete despite experiencing bowel incontinence during a Hyrox race in Beijing on Saturday, Sept. 12
- Hyrox shared a statement on the incident and said protocols became “blurred,” as well as vowing to improve safety and communication for future events
Critics argue the situation posed health risks, with some calling for compensation for affected participants and stricter regulations
Joanna Wietrzyk faced backlash after continuing to compete despite experiencing bowel incontinence during a Hyrox race in Beijing on Saturday, Sept. 12
Hyrox shared a statement on the incident and said protocols became “blurred,” as well as vowing to improve safety and communication for future events
Critics argue the situation posed health risks, with some calling for compensation for affected participants and stricter regulations
An Australian Hyrox athlete has sparked a debate across social media after continuing to compete despite becoming ill.
While participating in the Hyrox race for ages 16-24 at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, China, on Saturday, Sept. 12, Joanna Wietrzyk suffered a bout of bowel incontinence, ABC News, The Athletic and The Independent reported. Videos and photos circulating online appear to show fecal matter on her legs as she moved through workout stations as quickly as she could.
Wietrzyk, 22, shared a now-deleted selfie on Instagram from what appeared to be a hospital bed after winning the race in 1 hour, 1 minute, 23 seconds, per The Athletic and news.com.au.
“Go hard or go home … a win is a win. In all seriousness, thank you for all the support. I’ll be back soon x,” she wrote, according to the outlets.
Joanna Wietrzyk competing in Hyrox Beijing on Sept. 12, 2026
Credit: VCG/VCG via Getty
Wietrzyk has since been receiving heavy criticism online as commenters argue she posed health risks to other competitors by not being withdrawn or removing herself from the competition.
Hyrox, which was founded in Germany in 2017, is described on its website as “the fastest-growing fitness sport in the world.” Participants run 1km, followed by one functional workout station, repeated eight times. Functional workouts include sled pushes, rowing, burpee broad jumps and wall balls.
Hyrox did not name Wietrzyk in an official statement shared on Instagram following the backlash the world record holder in the women’s solo event has faced since the elite event over the weekend.
“As our sport continues to evolve we are encountering new and increasingly complex situations that challenge us and where additional clarity is needed. This happened this weekend in China,” the statement posted on Sunday, Sept. 13, read. “We ask our athletes to push themselves to the highest levels.
“At times, they will go beyond what even we thought was possible. That courage, resilience and refusal to give in are precisely what makes elite athletes so extraordinary,” the statement continued. “Our role is to give them the right framework and the right boundaries within which they can compete, perform and express themselves at their very best.”
“HYROX has clear biocontaminant and medical procedures in place,” the statement added. “In this instance, an unforeseen situation arose in which protocols designed for elite competition and mass participation became blurred, creating ambiguity in how they were applied and understood.”
“We recognize that this can understandably lead to frustration, questions and strong views within our community,” the statement continued. “Those concerns are legitimate and, as organizers, we must be prepared to hear them, examine what happened and take responsibility for continuing to improve. And we will…”
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Hyrox emphasized in its statement that “frustration” shouldn’t be directed towards athletes, while vowing to learn from the incident in Beijing for future events.
The organizers said they would be taking action against anyone who has made “threats of violence” or encouraged harm to an athlete.
“…We will continue to listen. We will continue to learn. And, above all, we will continue to put the welfare and dignity of the athletes at the centre of what comes next,” the statement concluded. “We move forward together – with passion, with grit and with mutual respect.”
Joe Ho, a male competitor in Beijing, responded to Hyrox’s statement, questioning why paying participants who were affected by Wietrzyk’s illness weren’t addressed.
“For people who were exposed to that situation, there could be genuine physical and psychological consequences,” Ho commented on Instagram. “…I paid HYROX to provide a professionally organized and safe event. So while I understand the athlete perspective, ultimately my contract and expectation is with HYROX.”
“If the organization accepts that something went wrong, why not offer affected participants refunds, credits, or some meaningful form of compensation?” he continued. “Protecting athletes is important, but showing the wider community that HYROX takes responsibility when its own procedures fail is just as important. That would do far more to rebuild trust than simply asking everyone to move forward together.”
Joanna Wietrzyk at Hyrox Beijing 2026
Credit: Fred Lee/Getty
The Hyrox rulebook states that participants will be penalized for “spitting or clearing of nostrils onto the floor,” as well as littering and “creating slip hazards” for others using water at aid stations.
Addressing the backlash, in a statement shared on Monday, Sept. 14, Hyrox co-founder Moritz Fuerste said Hyrox “made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race.”
“I apologise to all that were directly or indirectly affected, as well as to everyone who felt like we did not handle the situation like we should have,” the statement continued. “In the end it is my job to foresee these potential incidents – and I did not.”
Fuerste went to say that they “started improving event processes, plus making rulebook changes immediately.” “As of this moment, there are new rules and procedures in place to prevent situations like this from happening again,” he added. “We lean and try to get better everyday.”
Hyrox representatives did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Read the original article on People
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