Hyrox athlete Joanna Wietrzyk apologizes for defecation incident in Beijing, withdraws from race - GMA Network

Hyrox athlete Joanna Wietrzyk has apologized for the now-viral soiling incident during the Hyrox Beijing race, announcing that she is retroactively withdrawing from the competition.

In a personal statement posted on social media, Joanna apologized to the people of China, her fellow competitors, spectators, and the Hyrox organizers.

“I felt completely fit and healthy at the start of the race, with no reason to expect any illness. Looking back, I regret the decision to not have stepped off the track. I recognize 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,” she said.

Joanna acknowledged that her decision affected people beyond herself and said she is taking the experience as a lesson.

“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,” she said.

According to the Australian athlete, she has decided to withdraw from the race retroactively and forfeit the points she earned.

She also thanked those who have continued to support her and said she will take time to recover and reflect with her family.

“Thank you to those standing by me, both as an athlete and as a person, during this time, and to everyone who has reached out with kindness and support. 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 Beijing drew attention after photos showed Joanna defecating during the race, with the incident prompting discussions about how it was handled and the impact on other participants.

Hyrox co-founder Moritz Fuerste later apologized for the organization’s response, saying Hyrox “made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race.”

Hyrox Beijing also refunded participants who competed in the same schedule as Joanna.

Hyrox is a global indoor fitness race that combines running and functional workout stations. To complete the entire routine, participants run one kilometer, then complete one functional workout station, repeating the cycle eight times.