Joanna Wietrzyk had the podium in sight when her body betrayed her.
During the Hyrox Beijing race, the athlete suffered a severe episode of fecal incontinence. She did not stop. She kept jumping, carrying weight, and completing station after station in front of hundreds of people, visibly soiled, until she crossed the finish line. She won her category.
The organizers confirmed that they had to disinfect the course during the competition. On Chinese social media, the hashtag about the incident surpassed 27 million views, and many users questioned why no one stopped her, especially because Hyrox penalizes anyone who spits or blows their nose on the floor with a time penalty. Wietrzyk posted and then deleted a message on Instagram defending her decision: “You have to give it your all or go home… a win is a win. Seriously, thank you for all the support. I’ll be back soon”.
