An Australian HYROX athlete who continued racing after suffering diarrhoea and soiling herself mid‑event in Beijing has admitted she put fellow competitors at risk, as she prepares for a tense return to competition in Hamburg.

Joanna Wietrzyk, 24, said in her first interview since the incident that she made the wrong decision.

'It was my decision to continue racing so I take full responsibility for that,' she told the BBC. 'I didn't really think about those around me... the decision that I made in hindsight was the wrong decision and I'm truly sorry for everyone that I did affect. Obviously I did put other people at risk.'

Wietrzyk, who holds the women's solo Pro world record, won the women's Pro race at HYROX Beijing on 12 September at the National Speed Skating Oval. Images of faecal matter on her legs and clothing circulated widely online, and other competitors raised concerns about hygiene on shared equipment.

She said she began the race 'feeling fresh, feeling really, really good' but suffered a sudden bout of diarrhoea about halfway through. She attributed the illness to a bacterial infection caused by food poisoning. Asked whether officials should have intervened, she said nobody had encouraged her to withdraw.

Organisers Admit Failure To Act in HYROX Diarrhoea Row

HYROX co‑founder Moritz Fürste apologised days after the race. 'HYROX made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race,' he said, acknowledging shortcomings in the organisation's procedures.

On 14 September the company introduced new rules allowing race directors to withdraw an athlete on medical grounds if blood, vomit, urine or faeces poses a welfare or contamination risk to them or others. Any such withdrawal is recorded as a Did Not Finish.

HYROX said it had cleaned and disinfected the Beijing venue, including shared equipment. HYROX China has offered refunds to affected competitors.

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Backlash, Apology and Mental Toll on HYROX Athlete

In the immediate aftermath, Wietrzyk posted a defiant message on Instagram suggesting a win was a win. She later deleted it. On Thursday 17 September she apologised publicly, retroactively withdrew from the race and forfeited her win and points.

She told the BBC she now regrets the earlier post, saying she had not considered how the public would view the situation. She said she needed time to reflect before responding and described the weeks that followed as 'mentally and emotionally taxing'.

HYROX has said anyone sending her abuse or threats will be banned from future events. Wietrzyk said she received supportive messages as well as hostility that left her and her family shaken, and described social media as a 'very toxic place'.

'Yes, I did make the wrong decision but I don't believe I should have received such backlash and such scrutiny online,' she said. 'At the end of the day I'm only human.'

She said she had seriously considered leaving the sport, and that her view of racing had changed. 'There is more to life... than just racing and just winning,' she said.

HYROX, founded in Hamburg in 2017, combines running with workout stations including sled pushes, rowing and sandbag lunges. Wietrzyk is due to compete in Hamburg and said she was nervous about returning.

'I don't want it to become my identity,' she said. 'My mental resilience is key, and I can inspire others through what I've been through.'

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