“Shocking” incident: Athlete defecates during race → “Are you jealous of my win?” Arrogant No. 1 in the world finally apologizes, saying it is “painful… please stop the criticism”

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

An athlete who won an indoor fitness race after using shared equipment while feces were dripping down her legs has acknowledged her poor judgment and bowed her head more than two months later. This stands in stark contrast to the attitude she displayed immediately after the incident, when she said “a win is a win,” sparking global outrage.

The British media outlet “Daily Mail” reported on the 30th (Korean time) that “the Hyrox world record holder, who defecated during the race and still finished to claim victory, opened up about her feelings after becoming the center of a global controversy and admitted to putting competitors at risk.”

Joanna Wietrzich (24), from Australia, suffered fecal incontinence due to food poisoning during the Hyrox Pro event held in Beijing, China, last month. At the time, she crossed the finish line with a time of 1 hour, 1 minute, and 23 seconds, even though feces were dripping down both her legs. Videos spread online showing her completing the race while contaminating exercise equipment shared with other participants, such as an 8km run, burpee jumps, and sandbag lunges, leading to a wave of international condemnation.

In particular, she fueled public anger by posting an arrogant message on her personal social media (SNS) after lying on a medical bed immediately following the race: “Either quit or go all the way. A win is just a win.” Although the organizers immediately apologized and moved to revise relevant regulations, Wietrzich showed no sign of remorse until she was dropped by sponsors and faced global criticism, at which point she voluntarily relinquished her winning title and earned points.

Wietrzich, who had remained silent, completely changed her stance in an interview with the British “BBC” and through a video on her personal SNS. She stated, “Everything happened suddenly about halfway through the race,” and admitted, “As an elite athlete, my competitive drive was too strong at the time; I focused only on finishing, and I clearly put other people at risk.”

She continued, “I made a clearly wrong decision,” but appealed, “However, the extreme criticism and surveillance that poured in online were a trauma I could barely handle. I am ultimately just one imperfect human being.”

Addressing claims that her belated apology was an attempt to wash her image, she added, “I needed time over the past six to eight weeks to reflect on what happened in Beijing and process it myself. I sincerely apologize to everyone who was harmed by my choices, including spectators at the scene and other participants.”

Coach Chris Baynes defended her, saying, “It was a decision made in the moment under circumstances no one could have predicted. It is easy to talk about perfect handling after time has passed.” He added, “Sport sometimes creates imperfect and deeply human moments. Please stop the hatred and personal attacks that go beyond fair criticism.”

Hyrox officials, who had gone through a ordeal involving contaminated lane barriers, equipment disposal, and overnight carpet replacement work, warned that they would ban individuals who directed abusive language or threats at Wietrzich from participating in future events.

Wietrzich, whose absurd race completion and arrogant response shocked the sports world as a world record holder, aims to make her comeback on the ring through the opening match of the 2026–2027 Hyrox Elite Series held in Hamburg, Germany, amid intense public backlash.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original