Hyrox disinfects course after athlete suffers faecal incontinence during Beijing race

Hyrox China has carried out disinfection of affected areas after Australian elite athlete Joanna Wietrzyk reportedly suffered faecal incontinence during the Hyrox Beijing fitness race on Saturday (Sept 12). 

Wietrzyk, who is from Melbourne and in her early 20s, continued and managed to finish the competition.

Photos and videos circulating on Chinese social media apps on Saturday (Sept 12) showed Wietrzyk continuing with exercises, including burpee broad jumps, despite faecal matter reportedly being visible on her legs and parts of the course.

The incident raised concerns among other participants and members of the public over hygiene and possible contamination of the race course and equipment, Hong Kong media outlet HK01 reported.

Wietrzyk, who competed in the Pro Women division at the Beijing event, went on to win the race that day, reported Australian news outlet news.com.au

She later shared a selfie of herself attached to an IV drip with the caption in a now-deleted Instagram story,: "Go hard or go home … a win is a win. In all seriousness, thank you for all the support. I'll be back soon x."

Affected areas disinfected: Hyrox

Hyrox China said the organising committee immediately closed off and isolated the affected areas and race lanes after the incident, in a Sept 12 statement posted on Weibo.

According to the statement, the affected areas were thoroughly disinfected, with cleaning work continuing until the day's races had concluded.

The organisers also removed equipment affected by the incident from the venue and disposed of the waste in accordance with local waste management regulations.

The statement added that the carpets would be replaced after the day's events, followed by a deep cleaning and disinfection of the entire venue.

The organiser also urged participating athletes to "compete with peace of mind" and wished them "the ideal performance and a smooth completion of the race".

Online reactions divided

The incident drew mixed reactions online, with some praising Wietrzyk for persevering through the physically demanding race, while others questioned her decision to continue.

One X user urged others to show compassion, writing: "I feel bad for this lady. Why are we making fun of her? We must have a compassionate response."

Another commenter questioned how Wietrzyk was able to remain on the course instead of dropping out, saying: "As long as she’s not embarrassed."

"It's hard to imagine the competitors behind her... Are the ones behind her basically facing an obstacle course?" one commenter asked, questioning what Wietrzyk’s competitors had to contend with.

The incident was also described by another user as "so disgusting to even look at", with the commenter questioning the notion of sportsmanship: "And what sportsmanship? They should be dragged down right away."

AsiaOne has reached out to Wietrzyk for comment.

@asiaone Hyrox is known for its intensity, with Red Bull describing it as fitness choreography performed under the toughest conditions. An Australian participant reportedly suffered sudden fecal incontinence mid-race in Beijing due to the physical stress. However, she persevered and still finished the race. Race organisers said they immediately isolated and disinfected the affected area, disposing of equipment and waste in line with guidelines. The carpet was also replaced and a full deep-clean of the venue was carried out. [Admin's note] Comments that run afoul of our community guidelines will be removed. #news #China #Hyrox #Fitness #Endurance ♬ original sound - AsiaOne

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helmy.saat@asiaone.com