Hyrox Champion Wins Beijing Race Despite Mid-Race Bowel Incident

Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk won the Hyrox Beijing Pro Women's race on September 12, 2026, despite suffering a mid-race bowel-control incident that left visible faecal matter on her legs and clothing. The 22-year-old, who is the current world No. 1 in the women's singles division, continued competing through the functional workout stations and completed the race in 1 hour, 1 minute, and 23 seconds, securing first place. Footage of the incident quickly circulated on social media, showing Wietrzyk proceeding through the course while contaminated. The event, held at the National Speed Skating Oval as part of a four-day competition with over 12,000 entries, saw other athletes subsequently use the same carpeted lanes and shared equipment stations. Hyrox organizers responded by stating they immediately closed, isolated, and disinfected the affected areas and race lanes after the incident. They added that affected equipment was removed, carpets would be replaced after the day's racing concluded, and the entire venue would undergo a deep clean and disinfection.