Joanna Wietrzyk did not stop. The Australian Hyrox champion suffered an episode of stomach incontinence before reaching the halfway point of the course in Beijing, China, and decided to finish the race anyway.
Eight kilometers of running, eight strength stations, and she crossed the finish line first, regardless of what she left behind.
The videos went viral within minutes. A witness told the EFE news agency that the venue was not cleaned until the end of the day, and that several competitors soiled themselves.
Accusations of preferential treatment soon followed: Wietrzyk is the defending champion and is sponsored by Puma, Hyrox’s official sponsor.
She responded without apologizing. The organization has already announced that it will review its regulations. And although one source claims that she ended up hospitalized, she says she recovered quickly.