Hyrox athlete's soiling incident
Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk, 24, sparked international debate after soiling herself midway through the Hyrox Beijing fitness competition on September 13 but continuing to compete anyway, going on to win the women's solo event in 1 hour, 1 minute and 23 seconds. Footage of her racing with soiled legs went viral, drawing both criticism over hygiene and admiration for her resolve; Hyrox said it launched a 'major cleanup operation' after the event, sanitizing equipment and replacing sections of carpet, and acknowledged 'legitimate concerns' from other competitors -- some of whom demanded refunds after being forced to use potentially contaminated equipment -- while urging the public not to direct anger at Wietrzyk herself. Although her identity was not officially released by organizers, it spread online and she subsequently received violent threats; Hyrox said anyone found making such threats would be permanently banned from its events. In a now-deleted Instagram post, Wietrzyk defended her choice, writing 'Go hard or go home they say... a win is a win,' which drew further backlash online.
Follow this story on the globe
As it ran
17 September 2026
- Hyrox Athletes Are Refunded After Competitor Soiled Herself New York Times
14 September 2026
- Hyrox athlete sparks debate for continuing race after soiling herself BBC News
- Hyrox Beijing athlete who soiled herself says ‘win is a win’ as faecal row rages South China Morning Post
- Hyrox apologises for allowing race to continue after athlete soils herself BBC News
- Winner forces organization to look at protocols after she soils herself during race Fox News