The Australian athlete who caused a stir by winning a Hyrox event in China despite getting dirty during the race has apologized to the “people of China” and rival athletes in an online statement. In a post on Instagram, Joanna Wietrzyk offered a “sincere apology” to “the people of China, my fellow competitors, spectators and Hyrox organizers for what happened during the race in Beijing.” Footage of world record holder Wietrzyk went viral after showing her competing (and winning) Saturday’s event with demanding exercises and using community equipment, despite having fecal matter running down her legs. But he admitted in his Thursday night post that he should have “got off the track” and that there was “more to life than running.” “I felt completely fit and healthy at the start of the race, with no reason to expect any illness,” Wietrzyk wrote. “Looking back, I regret the decision not to leave the track. “I take responsibility for my decision to continue and deeply regret the discomfort and disruption it caused.” He said he would lose points for winning the event. “I know my actions had an impact beyond me and I am truly sorry to everyone who was affected. I am learning from this experience and will take those lessons with me, including remembering that there is more to life than racing and knowing when it is right to retroactively step away from racing. won.” Hyrox, an increasingly popular fitness competition launched in Germany in 2017, is now taking place in locations around the world. It debuted in mainland China in late 2024. In each race, participants alternate between running a kilometer and doing physical exercises at shared high-intensity stations, including a rowing machine, sled pushes, burpee jumps, medicine ball throws and lunges while carrying a sandbag. Hyrox is apologized earlier this week and promised immediate rule changes after Wietrzyk was allowed to finish and win the Beijing event. Hyrox co-founder Moritz Fürste apologized in a statement on Instagram to all those affected “directly or indirectly.” Hyrox made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race. In the end, it is my job to foresee these possible incidents, and I did not do that,” Fürste said. He added that Hyrox had made “changes to the regulations immediately.” “As of this moment, there are new rules and procedures to prevent situations like this from happening again.” as a person, during this time, and to everyone who has shown me kindness and support. It means more to me than I can adequately express at this moment. “I will take some time to recover, reflect and take care of myself and my family away from the noise.”
