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.
42 Articles
42 Articles
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.
Joanna Wietrzyk, current world champion, suffered sudden stomach incontinence while competing, but finished the race and achieved first place
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
A video circulating online shows a female athlete competing in a Hyrox event in Beijing defecating during the competition but continuing to finish. There are calls for the organizers to take responsibility, issue refunds, and apologize.
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