An Australian woman who was criticised for continuing to compete in a Hyrox event after soiling herself has apologised and said she will retroactively withdraw from the race.
Joanna Wietrzyk released a statement on Instagram, apologising for the incident during the indoor fitness competition in Beijing on Saturday.
Footage circulated on social media over the weekend showing Wietrzyk soiling herself, with the organisers Hyrox issuing a statement, apologising for how they handled the situation.
“I know my actions had an impact beyond myself, and I am genuinely sorry to everyone who was affected,” Wietrzyk said in a statement.
Wietrzyk won the race but said she would forfeit and added: “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.”
Hyrox said after the incident drew criticism that it had “clear bio contaminant and medical procedures in place”.
Hyrox is a fitness race that combines running and functional workout stations, testing both endurance and strength (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
It said “an unforeseen situation arose” during which protocols became blurred, “creating ambiguity in how they were applied and understood”.
In each Hyrox race, participants alternate between running a kilometre and doing fitness exercises, including a sled push, burpee jumps, indoor rowing and lunges while carrying a sandbag.
The competition has exploded in popularity since it was founded in 2017 in Hamburg, Germany, and is now held across the world. The sport debuted in mainland China in late 2024.
Leave a Reply