Hyrox athlete apologizes, forfeits points after soiling herself during race

Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk is forfeiting the points she earned from her first-place finish at a Hyrox race in Beijing on Sept. 12, which sparked backlash and led to a rule change after she continued competing at the indoor fitness event despite soiling herself.

Wietrzyk issued a formal apology on Instagram on Thursday, Sept. 17, writing she's "deeply sorry for the discomfort and disruption" caused by her decision to continue on in the elite race after an involuntary bowel movement.

"I felt completely fit and healthy at the start of the race, with no reason to expect any illness. Looking back, I regret the decision to not have stepped off the track. I recognize that I should have made a different choice," wrote Wietrzyk, the 22-year-old Hyrox world champion. "On reflection, I have decided to retroactively withdraw from the race and forfeit the points I earned."

Hyrox is an indoor fitness event that combines functional exercises with running. Competitors must complete eight 1-kilometer runs, each followed by a different functional exercise station.

Wietryzk's accidental bowel movement occurred during the fourth station, burpee broad jumps. Wietryzk then completed the rowing, farmers carry, sandbag lunges and wall ball portions of the race — which all use shared equipment among racers — with fecal matter running down her legs. She went on to win the race with a time of 1:01:23, besting second-place finisher Alyssa McElheny of the United States by 45 seconds.