From Newsweek · · 50s
Joanna Wietrzyk forfeits Hyrox win after China race backlash
Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk forfeits Beijing Hyrox victory after bowel incontinence incident
In brief
Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk forfeits Beijing Hyrox victory after bowel incontinence incident Wietrzyk withdrew from race following apology for continuing after severe gastrointestinal distress Originally reported by Newsweek.
Wietrzyk apologizes
Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk apologized for bowel incontinence during a Hyrox race in China.
“I want to offer my sincere apology to the people of China, my fellow competitors, the spectators and the HYROX organizers for what happened during the race in Beijing”
Race incident details
Wietrzyk experienced severe gastrointestinal distress during the Hyrox Beijing race on September 12, 2026.
Initial response
Wietrzyk initially defended her decision to continue racing despite bowel incontinence.
“Go hard or go home ... a win is a win”
Coaches defend
Wietrzyk's coach Chris Bayens called the incident unforeseen and criticized online abuse against her.
“What happened was an extraordinary set of circumstances that were unforeseen, rapidly evolving and almost impossible to fully comprehend in real time”
Hyrox rules change
Hyrox updated rules to allow race directors to remove athletes with health risks like bowel incontinence.
“Hyrox made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race”
Puma removes line
PUMA removed the Joanna Wietrzyk x PUMA product line from its online store after the controversy.
The takeaway
Wietrzyk withdrew from race following apology for continuing after severe gastrointestinal distress
