Hyrox apologises after diarrhoea drama as athlete soils course, finishes and wins Beijing race

On September 15, the Hyrox athletics franchise issued an apology following an incident at a Beijing event where an athlete, Joanna Wietrzyk, from Australia, soiled herself during the race and continued to compete, ultimately winning. Pictures and videos circulated online showing Wietrzyk with soiled legs and shoes, continuing to use the mats and equipment at the Beijing competition.

The Hyrox website reported that she completed the event without any intervention from the organizing committee. However, social media users criticized the situation, pointing out that other competitors had to touch the contaminated areas and raising concerns about hygiene. The event, which originated in Germany in 2018 and has since gained popularity in China, involves a mix of indoor running on treadmills and strength exercises.

Hyrox co-founder Moritz Furste issued an apology, acknowledging the mistake and stating that the organization had introduced new rules and procedures to prevent similar occurrences in the future. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV blamed "regulatory flaws" for the incident, emphasizing that it not only endangered participants' health but also undermined fair competition.