Following intense backlash, Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk issued a public apology and officially withdrew her victory from a recent Hyrox fitness competition in Beijing. The world record-holder faced strong criticism after choosing to stay in the race and use shared workout equipment despite suffering a bodily accident during the event, which she ultimately went on to win.
Writing in a social media post published on Thursday, September 17, Wietrzyk offered her "sincere apology" directly to the people of China, her fellow competitors, the event spectators, and race organizers. She explained that she felt completely healthy when the race began and had no reason to expect any sudden illness. However, looking back at the situation, she admitted that she should have made a different choice, stepped off the track, and stopped competing. In addition to giving up her first-place finish and forfeiting all earned points, Wietrzyk reflected that the experience was an important reminder that "there is more to life than racing."
“I know my actions had an impact beyond myself, and I am genuinely sorry to everyone who was affected. Looking back, I regret the decision to not have stepped off the track. I recognize that I should have made a different choice. I take responsibility for my decision to continue and am deeply sorry for the discomfort and disruption it caused," she wrote.
The situation also triggered an immediate response from Hyrox leadership and race officials. Co-founder Moritz Fürste made a public statement apologizing to everyone affected by the incident. He admitted that event staff made a mistake by failing to stop the race right away and took personal responsibility for the oversight. Prior to this event, the official rulebook punished minor bad behaviour like littering, spitting, or clearing one's nose, but contained no explicit rules for severe biohazard situations. In response to the outcry, Hyrox announced immediate updates to its rulebook to ensure clear protocols are enforced if a similar event ever happens again.
“Hyrox made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race. In the end it is my job to foresee these potential incidents – and I did not. As of this moment, there are new rules and procedures in place to prevent situations like this from happening again,” Fürste said.
Hyrox is a popular global fitness sport founded in Germany in 2017 that made its first debut in mainland China in late 2024. In every race, participants move through demanding exercise stations such as rowing machines, sled pushes, and medicine ball throws separated by one-kilometre runs. As video footage of the race spread across the internet, organizers also addressed the harsh reactions directed toward the athlete. Hyrox strictly condemned all online abuse and threats sent to Wietrzyk, warning that anyone targeting athletes with hostility or violent messages will be permanently banned from participating in any future events.