"Joanna," a HYROX athlete who once had a bowel accident during a competition, announces her goal for the next event.
Joanna Wietersik, a 24-year-old HYROX athlete and world record holder in the women's solo HYROX category, posted a video on social media officially apologizing to fans and fellow competitors after a global controversy. She had decided to push through and finish the race despite suffering a bowel accident during the HYROX event in Beijing, China, on 12 September.
The incident triggered intense online criticism. Although she crossed the finish line first, she later decided to withdraw from the competition and forfeited all her accumulated points. She admitted feeling deeply regretful for not choosing to leave the race when the accident occurred.
Recently, while in Hamburg, Germany, Joanna opened up about the matter, saying:
"Over the past 6-8 weeks, I have had time to reflect on everything that happened in Beijing. The first thing I want to say is that I sincerely apologize to everyone—both the audience and my fellow competitors—for my decision to continue competing."
"This time has taught me a costly lesson, and I truly regret what happened. At the same time, I want to thank everyone who has offered their support, both personally and through my team. It means more to me than I can express. It was a difficult and challenging situation to handle."
The Melbourne-born athlete confirmed she is moving forward and preparing to make a comeback at the Elite 15 event in Hamburg, Germany, on 30 October, hoping to receive support from fans as she returns to doing what she loves.