# Hyrox athlete apologises for soiling herself mid-race

> Australian competitor Joanna Wietrzyk says she should have withdrawn from Beijing event instead of continuing.
- Title: Hyrox athlete apologises for soiling herself mid-race
- Summary: Australian competitor Joanna Wietrzyk says she should have withdrawn from Beijing event instead of continuing. Athletes competing in extreme fitness events…
- Keywords: joanna wietrzyk, hyrox, beijing, fitness competition, athlete welfare, event protocols, indoor fitness, australia, china, moritz fürste, race incident, news
- Source: BBC News — https://bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ck0e35qyqlx0o
- Published: 2026-09-17T15:05:13.518+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: joanna wietrzyk, hyrox, beijing, fitness competition, athlete welfare, event protocols, indoor fitness, australia, china, moritz fürste, race incident, news
## Australian athlete apologises for continuing race
Joanna Wietrzyk soiled herself during a Hyrox fitness competition in Beijing on Saturday but continued competing. She has now apologised and said she should have exited the event instead.

> I know my actions had an impact beyond myself, and I am genuinely sorry to everyone who was affected.
## Footage raised hygiene concerns
Video of Wietrzyk competing after the incident sparked criticism about health and safety standards. Hyrox co-founder Moritz Fürste apologised for how the situation was handled during the competition.
## Wietrzyk forfeits her race win
The Australian athlete won the Beijing competition but has decided to retroactively withdraw and forfeit her victory following the backlash and her own reflection on the incident.

> Looking back, I regret the decision to not have stepped off the track.
## Hyrox says protocols were unclear
The event organisers stated they have clear biocontaminant and medical procedures in place, but acknowledged that an unforeseen situation caused confusion about how those protocols should be applied.
## Questions about why officials didn't intervene
Hyrox penalises competitors for spitting, nostril clearing, littering, and water abuse, yet officials did not stop Wietrzyk from continuing. Critics questioned why these rules weren't enforced in this situation.
## Hyrox commits to preventing future incidents
Co-founder Moritz Fürste pledged to improve event processes and prevent similar situations. Hyrox also banned anyone sending abuse or threats to Wietrzyk from future competitions.

> There is no place in our community for threats of violence or encouragement to harm an athlete.
## Key takeaway

Athletes competing in extreme fitness events face pressure to continue despite physical distress, raising questions about event protocols and athlete welfare.