Hyrox Disinfects Course After Athlete Suffers Faecal Incontinence During Beijing Race
Footage of the Australian elite athlete’s finish spread online as critics questioned HYROX’s hygiene response and race safety, while supporters praised her resilience.
- On Saturday, September 12, 2026, Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk continued competing at HYROX Beijing and won despite experiencing a mid-race bowel-control incident, with footage rapidly circulating on Chinese social media.
- HYROX, a global fitness series combining running with functional stations like sled pushes and wall balls, saw videos of visible contamination on equipment and Wietrzyk's legs spread rapidly across Chinese social media.
- Fitness YouTuber Andrew Hiller criticized organizers for allowing the race to continue, arguing officials should have halted proceedings, especially since HYROX later replaced the contaminated course turf.
- Wietrzyk later addressed the incident in a social media post, thanking supporters and writing that she would "be back soon," while her remark that "a win is a win" fueled ongoing discussion.
- Hiller argued roughly 80 to 90 percent of responsibility lay with HYROX rather than Wietrzyk, suggesting the incident could prompt the organization to introduce formal disqualification rules for similar situations.
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49 Articles
Hyrox Beijing athlete who soiled herself says ‘win is a win’ as faecal row rages
An elite competitor who soiled herself during Hyrox Beijing and then went on to win has defended her actions saying “go hard or go home...a win is a win”. In a now-deleted Instagram story, Joanna Wietrzyk thanked everyone for their support and said she would be back soon. Wietrzyk’s actions this past weekend have sparked furious debate among the Hyrox community, with others asking how she had been allowed to continue, and organisers facing criti…
Joanna Wietrzyk couldn't hold on tight in the Hyrox competition. The feces ran down her legs and onto the competition track. "We should have stopped her immediately when it happened. There is no ambiguity here," writes Hyrox World.
The Independent
The Independent (US)Hyrox China participant finishes event despite soiling herself
‘Allowing athletes to use equipment covered in human faeces should not be a blurred line,’ says one Hyrox athlete
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