HYROX athlete Joanna Wietrzyk apologises over Beijing incident and forfeits race points
Australian HYROX athlete Joanna Wietrzyk has apologised for continuing a Beijing race after experiencing faecal incontinence, saying she regrets not stepping off the track and has decided to retroactively withdraw and forfeit the points she earned.
- Joanna Wietrzyk apologised for continuing to compete after experiencing faecal incontinence during a HYROX race in Beijing.
- She accepted responsibility, withdrew her result retrospectively and forfeited the points she earned.
- Her apology drew mixed reactions, while Puma has reportedly removed her branded products from some online stores.
Australian HYROX athlete Joanna Wietrzyk has apologised for continuing to compete during a race in Beijing after experiencing faecal incontinence, saying she regrets not stepping off the track and accepts responsibility for her decision.
In a statement posted on Instagram on 17 September, Wietrzyk apologised to people in China, fellow competitors, spectators and HYROX organisers for what happened during the race.
She said she felt “completely fit and healthy” when the race began and had no reason to expect that she would become ill.
However, looking back, she said she regretted not withdrawing once the incident occurred.
“I recognise that I should have made a different choice,” Wietrzyk said, adding that she was “deeply sorry for the discomfort and disruption” caused.
She also acknowledged that her decision had affected people beyond herself and said she was learning from the experience, including the importance of knowing when to step away from competition.
Wietrzyk forfeits race points
Wietrzyk said she had decided to retroactively withdraw from the Beijing race and forfeit the points she earned.
She had initially completed the race and won her category despite continuing after the incident.
Her decision to forfeit the result came after several days of criticism over her choice to remain on the course and continue using shared race equipment.
The incident had prompted questions about hygiene, athlete responsibility and the role of HYROX officials in deciding whether she should have been stopped.
HYROX co-founder Moritz Fürste had separately apologised for the organisation’s handling of the incident, acknowledging that HYROX had made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race.
He said new rules and procedures had since been introduced to prevent similar situations.
Mixed reaction to apology
Wietrzyk’s apology drew a mixed response on social media.
Some commenters questioned the timing and sincerity of the statement, particularly in light of an earlier post she made after the race that included the phrase “a win is a win”.
That post was subsequently deleted.
Others defended Wietrzyk, saying she had acknowledged her mistake, accepted responsibility and forfeited the points from the race.
Some commenters also argued that continued hostile responses had gone beyond criticism of her decision and amounted to bullying or harassment.
HYROX had previously warned that threats of violence or encouragement to harm the athlete would not be tolerated, saying anyone identified as engaging in such behaviour would be permanently banned from its events.
Wietrzyk said she would now take time away from the public attention to recover, reflect and spend time with her family.
“I will be taking some time to recover, reflect and look after myself and my family away from the noise,” she said.
Puma removes references to athlete
The controversy has also been followed by changes to Wietrzyk’s presence on Puma’s online platforms.
The Daily Mail reported that Puma removed a clothing range branded “Joanna Wietrzyk x PUMA” from its global online store following the controversy.
The report said Wietrzyk-branded performance shoes and clothing were also removed from Puma’s German website, while the clothing range remained available through a separate link without her name attached.
The Daily Mail reported that the timing of the removal was unclear and that Wietrzyk continued to list Puma Training in her Instagram biography.
Puma has not publicly confirmed that it has ended its sponsorship or ambassador relationship with Wietrzyk.
Before the incident, Wietrzyk had described her collaboration with Puma as a dream come true and had promoted the brand’s training products.
The Australian athlete had also appeared in promotional material for Puma’s PWRMODE training collection, released in July.
The Beijing incident
Wietrzyk’s apology follows widespread attention after images and videos from the HYROX Beijing event showed her continuing to compete after apparently experiencing faecal incontinence.
The incident prompted debate over whether she should have withdrawn from the race and whether organisers should have intervened.
HYROX China previously said the affected lanes and area were isolated and disinfected, while relevant equipment was removed and replaced.
Waste was also disposed of according to municipal standards, and the venue flooring was to undergo replacement and deep cleaning.
HYROX subsequently acknowledged that its procedures for elite competition and mass participation had become unclear in the circumstances.
