Australian Hyrox athlete who soiled herself mid-race apologises again & announces comeback

Australian Hyrox athlete Joanna Wietrzyk faced backlash after she soiled herself during a race in Beijing on Sep. 12.

In a video posted on her Instagram account on Oct. 28, the athlete offered another apology and announced her comeback.

She is competing in the Hyrox Elite 15 race in Hamburg, Germany, on Oct. 30.

This marks her first race since the incident.

Apology

Wietrzyk said that she has spent the last eight weeks reflecting on what happened in Beijing.

“I’m truly, truly so sorry to everyone I affected,” she said.

She apologised for her decision to continue competing despite soiling herself, and said that she had learnt a lot from the experience.

The athlete expressed her gratitude for those who supported her through the controversy.

She said it had been a “very confronting” situation, which was difficult to navigate both personally and publicly.

Despite the backlash, she said she is excited to return to competitions.

"I'm super excited to go back doing what I love," she said.

Withdrew from previous race

On Sep. 12, Wietrzyk soiled herself during a Hyrox race in Beijing but continued the race, using communal equipment.

She finished first in the women's Pro event.

Videos of the incident went viral online, drawing criticism over hygiene and safety risks to other competitors.

Wietrzyk posted her first public apology on Sep. 17, agreeing that she should have stopped racing.

"Looking back, I regret the decision to not have stepped off the track," she said.

She subsequently withdrew from the race, forfeiting the points she had earned.

Hyrox organisers also apologised for not intervening and updated their rules, allowing race directors to withdraw participants should bodily fluids pose a contamination or welfare risk.

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