Hyrox athlete Joanna Wietrzyk forfeited her victory and has withdrawn from the competition after soiling herself during the Hyrox Beijing race.

Following the now-viral incident, the athlete issued a personal statement on her social media account, apologizing to the people of China, her fellow competitors, the spectators, and the HYROX organizers.

Joanna said that she felt “completely fit and healthy” at the start of the race, expecting no illness.

“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.

Recognizing the impact her actions had, not just on herself, but to others, Joanna said she is learning from the experience, stating, “There is more to life than racing and knowing when it is right to step away.”

“On reflection, I have decided to retroactively withdraw from the race and forfeit the points I earned,” she continued.

The Hyrox athlete expressed gratitude to those who reached out to her following the incident.

Earlier this week, the Hyrox Beijing race gained public traction after photos and video clips of Joanna soiling herself mid-race circulated online. The incident prompted discussions on health concerns and their impact on other participants and the audience.

Hyrox changes rules

In a statement, Moritz Fuerste, the German co-founder of Hyrox, said, "Hyrox made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race.”

The fitness-racing hybrid then announced that it will make rulebook changes to prevent similar situations from happening again.

Hyrox is an indoor fitness race that combines 8-kilometer runs with functional workout stations.

In the meantime, Joanna will be taking the time to recover, reflect, and look after herself and her family.