Hyrox athlete who soiled herself ‘traumatised’ by backlash

Australian HYROX athlete Joanna Wietrzyk has admitted to endangering fellow competitors by continuing to race after suffering from severe diarrhea during a competition in Beijing in September. The world-record holding 24-year-old acknowledged that her competitive drive had clouded her judgment, telling the BBC that she took full responsibility for her decision to continue racing despite her condition.

Wietrzyk explained that she had not considered the potential consequences of her actions, admitting later that it was the wrong decision and expressing sincere remorse for the impact on those affected. The incident unfolded roughly halfway through the race, with images of fecal matter on her body circulating widely on social media.

Despite winning the race, Wietrzyk faced significant backlash, with some competitors questioning why she had not been removed from the competition immediately. The Australian athlete revealed that she had contracted a bacterial infection linked to food poisoning but felt fine before the competition. Her focus, however, remained on finishing the race once symptoms began.

The incident has left Wietrzyk feeling traumatized and has led her to question whether she should continue her career in HYROX. She is currently preparing to return to competition in Hamburg, Germany, but admits to feeling nervous about facing the sporting community again.