BEIJING — Hyrox has apologized after Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk completed a fitness race in Beijing after soiling herself during the competition, prompting criticism over hygiene and event procedures.
Photos and videos shared online showed Wietrzyk with soiled legs and shoes as she continued using mats and equipment during Saturday’s event in the Chinese capital.
Wietrzyk completed the race without intervention from event officials and won the competition, according to Hyrox’s website.
Other participants later raised concerns on social media about having to use the same mats, handles and running surfaces after Wietrzyk had competed.
Hyrox admits it failed to act
Hyrox co-founder Moritz Furste apologized Monday to people affected by the incident and acknowledged that the organization failed to respond immediately during the race.
“Hyrox made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race,” Furste said.
He accepted responsibility for failing to anticipate the situation and said Hyrox had introduced new rules and procedures to prevent similar incidents.
Hyrox China earlier acknowledged shortcomings in its regulations that prevented judges from intervening immediately during the competition.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV also criticized the event’s procedures, saying regulatory flaws could affect participants’ health and undermine fairness in competition.
Incident sparks online criticism
The incident generated criticism on Chinese social media, with users questioning why officials allowed the race to continue.
Some posts focused on potential hygiene risks after other competitors used equipment and surfaces that Wietrzyk had used.
One Weibo user questioned why officials had not considered the health of other competitors and the public.
Another criticized the decision to allow the athlete to continue and described it as unfair treatment toward foreign participants.
Hyrox, an indoor fitness racing franchise launched in Germany in 2018, combines running with strength exercises such as lunges and rowing.
The competition has expanded internationally and has gained popularity in China in recent years.