Australian fitness competitor Joanna Wietrzyk has become the centre of an online debate after winning a HYROX event in Beijing despite appearing to experience a serious bowel incontinence incident during the race.
The 22-year-old reportedly carried on through the gruelling weekend competition, completing burpees, lunges and wall balls while what appeared to be faecal matter ran down her legs.
Wietrzyk’s decision to remain in the event and claim victory prompted criticism from viewers, who raised concerns about potential biohazard risks and questioned why race officials did not intervene.
While recovering in hospital, Wietrzyk shared a photo and appeared defiant in her caption: “Go hard or go home they say … a win is a win.
“In all seriousness, thank you for all the support. I’ll be back soon.”
HYROX China said the affected sections and race lanes were closed off immediately before being isolated and extensively disinfected.
Australian fitness competitor Joanna Wietrzyk has drawn intense attention after apparently suffering a bowel incontinence incident while winning a HYROX race in Beijing
The 22-year-old continued competing through burpees, lunges and wall balls despite what appeared to be faecal matter running down her legs during the demanding event
Organisers said the clean-up operation continued until racing ended for the day, with contaminated equipment taken away from the venue.
The waste was handled and discarded in line with local regulations as part of measures designed to reinforce hygiene and safety standards.
Venue carpets were also scheduled to be replaced once the day’s events had finished, followed by a comprehensive deep clean and disinfection of the site.
“We ask all participating athletes to compete with peace of mind, and we wish everyone the ideal performance and a smooth completion of the race,” organisers said in a statement.
However, some viewers questioned why Wietrzyk had been allowed to continue, given HYROX explicitly bans spitting, snot rockets and littering during the race.
‘No question she should have stopped. But where TF are the Hyrox officials? Why isn’t there a rule that would let them stop her? This is beyond ridiculous,’ one said.
HYROX China said affected areas and race lanes were immediately closed and isolated, then thoroughly disinfected
Another said: ‘Disgusting. This person is not a hero. She is super selfish. Not a care for any other competitor that has to follow.’
A third demanded her removal from the event, writing: ‘She should’ve been immediately disqualified with her nasty ass.’
Others argued that the stakes for a professional athlete helped explain her decision.
‘She is a professional – so this race performance gives her income for months and years to come,’ one supporter wrote.
‘She is willing to push through great discomfort, which is admirable, and her choice.’
One podcast host discussing the footage also questioned the potential impact on athletes following her through the exercise stations.
The HYROX format sees competitors alternate between a 1km run and a functional workout station, repeated eight times. Wietrzyk completed the event covered in faecal matter
She went on to win the race despite the accident
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Should athletes risk competitors’ health to finish a race at all costs?
‘Because of the nature of this sport, you go to different stations. So you do running, you do burpees, you do row machine … you do stuff like this with the medicine ball,’ the host said.
‘If you are doing burpees and this person in front of you has stuff on their legs, you don’t know what you’re putting your hands on.’
The host acknowledged volunteers’ efforts to clean behind the competitor but questioned how thoroughly that could be done while racing continued.
‘But at the same time, it’s like, you’re in the middle of a race, how thorough can they be if they want to keep the race going at the pace it’s supposed to be going?’
Despite those concerns, the host also praised Wietrzyk’s perseverance.
‘I have to commend the girl for pushing through.
‘I don’t know, if this were me, and I had s*** myself in the middle of a race like this, I think out of consideration for the other competitors and just like for myself, dude, I’d want to go and clean up.’
Another simply said: ‘How can someone poop themselves and still think it’s a good idea to compete’.
The HYROX format sees competitors alternate between a 1km run and a functional workout station, repeated eight times.
The eight workout stations are 1,000m SkiErg (simulating Nordic skiing), 50m Sled Push. 50m Sled Pull, 80m Burpee Broad Jumps, 1,000m row, 200m Farmer’s Carry (walking while holding heavy kettlebells or weights), 100m Sandbag Lunges, 100 Wall Balls (squatting and throwing a medicine ball to a target).
HYROX has surged in popularity in recent years, especially among ageing millennials and office workers, and now stages events around the world.
