Australian HYROX athlete Joanna Wietrzyk has apologised after continuing to compete in a Beijing event despite experiencing a sudden medical episode during the race, later announcing that she would withdraw her result and forfeit the points she earned.
Wietrzyk addressed the incident in a statement posted to social media on Thursday, following the widespread circulation of footage from the event and scrutiny over her decision to remain in the race.
ABC News reported that she had initially completed and won the event before later deciding to relinquish the result.
The episode has also prompted questions around how the competition was managed, with HYROX acknowledging that it should have intervened sooner and subsequently changing its rules to give race officials greater authority to remove competitors where bodily fluids present a welfare or contamination risk.
In her statement, Wietrzyk said she had felt well when the race began and had not anticipated becoming ill.
‘I felt completely fit and healthy at the start of the race, with no reason to expect any illness.’
She acknowledged that, in retrospect, she should have left the course rather than continuing.
‘Looking back, I regret the decision to not have stepped off the track. I recognise that I should have made a different choice.’
Wietrzyk also apologised to those affected by what happened during the event, including competitors, spectators and the organisers.
‘I know my actions had an impact beyond myself, and I am genuinely sorry to everyone who was affected.’
Although Wietrzyk crossed the finish line as the winner, she has since chosen to remove the result from her record.
She said the decision followed reflection on the incident and what she had learned from it.
‘I am learning from this experience and will carry those lessons with me, including remembering that there is more to life than racing and knowing when it is right to step away.’
She then confirmed: ‘On reflection, I have decided to retroactively withdraw from the race and forfeit the points I earned.’
The incident occurred during the HYROX competition in Beijing on Saturday, 12 September, as footage subsequently circulated widely online, showing Wietrzyk continuing through the indoor course after the medical episode.
The online circulation of footage shifted attention beyond Wietrzyk’s result to how the situation was handled by the event organisers.
HYROX co-founder Moritz Fürste later acknowledged that the organisation had made a mistake by not intervening immediately and said new procedures were being developed in response.
The organisation has since updated its rules to address situations involving bodily fluids during competition.
Under the revised provisions, a race director can withdraw an athlete on medical grounds if blood, vomit, urine or faeces creates a welfare or contamination risk to the athlete or others taking part.
Wietrzyk ended her statement by thanking people who had supported her and said she would take time away from competition.
‘I will be taking some time to recover, reflect and look after myself and my family away from the noise.’
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