HYROX athlete Joanna Wietrzyk apologises after poop ‘accident’ during race: ‘I should have stepped off the track’ |
Joanna Wietrzyk has admitted she made the wrong call during a HYROX race in Beijing.The Australian athlete, who continued competing after becoming unwell during the event and ultimately won, has apologised following criticism over her decision to remain on the track.Wietrzyk addressed the controversy in a personal statement on social media, saying she regretted not stepping away from the race when she realised she was unwell. She has also decided to give up the points she earned from the event.
Joanna Wietrzyk says she felt fine before the race
According to Wietrzyk, there was no warning before she began competing.“I felt completely fit and healthy at the start of the race, with no reason to expect any illness,” she said.But things changed during the competition. Wietrzyk became unwell and had an accident while racing.Instead of leaving the track, she continued and eventually crossed the finish line first.That decision became the centre of the controversy, with people online questioning why she didn’t stop competing once she knew she was ill.
‘I should have made a different choice’
Wietrzyk has now acknowledged that she should have stepped away.“Looking back, I regret the decision to not have stepped off the track. I recognise that I should have made a different choice,” she wrote.She also apologised to those who were at the event, including fellow competitors, spectators and organisers.“I take responsibility for my decision to continue and am deeply sorry for the discomfort and disruption it caused,” she said.Wietrzyk specifically addressed people in China in her apology, saying she was sorry to those affected by what happened during the Beijing race.
She will forfeit the points
The athlete said she had spent time reflecting on the incident and decided to withdraw from the race retrospectively.She will also forfeit the points she earned from the event.Wietrzyk said the experience had reminded her that there are things more important than finishing a race and that athletes need to recognise when it’s time to stop.“I am learning from this experience and will carry those lessons with me, including remembering that there is more to life than racing and knowing when it is right to step away,” she wrote.She ended her statement by saying she would take some time away from public attention to recover and spend time with her family.
Internet divided over Joanna Wietrzyk’s apology
The apology has sparked a mixed response online.Some people defended Wietrzyk, arguing that elite athletes are trained to push through difficult moments and that her willingness to accept responsibility deserved credit.
Joanna Wietrzyk of Australia in action during the HYROX Beijing 2026 at National Speed Skating Oval on September 12, 2026 in Beijing, China. (Photo/Getty Images)
Others felt that the apology came too late and that she should have left the race as soon as she became unwell.One commenter described the apology as “a little too little too late”, while also suggesting that acknowledging the impact on other competitors was important.But there were plenty of supportive messages too.“Sending you so much love and strength, Jo,” one person wrote, reminding her that she was “much more than one race”.Another said, “We can all make mistakes; that doesn’t make us bad people,” while encouraging her not to give up on her goals.Others simply urged the athlete to put the controversy behind her and focus on her next race.
HYROX changes procedures after controversy
The controversy has also prompted a response from HYROX.The organisation has acknowledged that its response during the incident should have been different and has introduced new rules and procedures following what happened.For Wietrzyk, however, the immediate focus appears to be on stepping away, reflecting on the incident and moving forward.Her message was clear: winning a race isn’t worth ignoring the moment when your body is telling you to stop.
