Joanna Wietrzyk did not stop. The Australian world champion suffered a bowel accident in the middle of a HYROX race in Beijing and decided to keep running until crossing the finish line in first place, sharing machines, mats, and stations with other athletes.
The episode, which occurred on September 12, immediately sparked complaints from the other competitors, who questioned why no one removed her from the course. The company’s co-founder, Moritz Fürste, broke his silence on Instagram: “HYROX made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race”, he acknowledged, adding: “After all, it is my job to anticipate these possible incidents, and I didn’t”.
The organization has already modified its regulations. Now, if a competitor presents blood, vomit, urine, or fecal matter that poses a contamination risk, the race director may remove them and mark their result as DNF, withdrawal. The decision no longer depends on the athlete, but on a mandatory medical assessment.