Athletes are asked to push themselves during HYROX events. Sometimes they go beyond the expectations of the organization that puts these races together, races which combine both running and functional workout stations.
That was the case during a competition in Beijing this past weekend. The first place winner, Joanna Wietrzyk, bravely battled through a little mid-race diarrhea and refused to let it slow her down.
Joanna Wietrzyk of Australia competes during HYROX Beijing 2026 at National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, China, on Sept. 12, 2026. (Getty Images)
The 24-year-old Australian reportedly finished the event in 1 hour, 1 minute and 23 seconds, according to the NY Post. The mess running down her legs and any possible contamination it may cause wasn’t a concern.
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Wietrzyk had first place on her mind. Of course, an event where someone pushes themselves to the point of diarrhea and beyond is going to get some attention and, of course, some of that attention is going to be negative.
She appears to have felt some of that negative heat herself after posting on Instagram to celebrate her victory. She wrote in a now-deleted post, “Go hard or go home they say … a win is a win. In all seriousness, thank you for all the support. I’ll be back soon x.”
Joanna Wietrzyk of Australia competes in HYROX Beijing 2026 at the National Speed Skating Oval on Sept. 12, 2026, in Beijing, China. (VCG via Getty Images)
Jokes post-diarrhea race win are frowned upon by some, it turns out. Are these sore losers or people genuinely disgusted by watching an athlete go the distance after an accident?
HYROX is taking the matter seriously and looking at themselves to see how they can approve their procedures surrounding these unforeseen incidents. The last thing anyone wants is for this to start being implemented as a way to win.
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“We ask our athletes to push themselves to the highest levels. At times, they will go beyond what even we thought was possible. That courage, resilience and refusal to give in are precisely what makes elite athletes so extraordinary. Our role is to give them the right framework and the right boundaries within which they can compete, perform and express themselves at their very best,” HYROX wrote on Instagram.
Joanna Wietrzyk of Australia competes in HYROX Beijing 2026 at National Speed Skating Oval on Sept. 12, 2026, in Beijing, China. (VCG via Getty Images)
“HYROX has clear biocontaminant and medical procedures in place. In this instance, an unforeseen situation arose in which protocols designed for elite competition and mass participation became blurred, creating ambiguity in how they were applied and understood,” the statement continued.
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“We recognise that this can understandably lead to frustration, questions and strong views within our community. Those concerns are legitimate and, as organisers, we must be prepared to hear them, examine what happened and take responsibility for continuing to improve. And we will…”
That’s all anyone can ask. You don’t want to see an athlete stripped of a win because of their will to keep pressing on no matter what. It’s on those at the top of the sport to tell an athlete that diarrhea needs to be cleaned up.