Hyrox athlete who soiled herself admits putting others ‘at risk’ but backlash ‘traumatic’ | BBC News
An Australian athlete has admitted putting others at risk by continuing to race after soiling herself during an endurance sports event.
Speaking exclusively to the BBC ahead of her return to the sport, Joanna Wietrzyk suggested her determination to win the Hyrox race in Beijing in September had clouded her judgement: “It was my decision to continue racing so I take full responsibility for that”.
Challenged over why she carried on, she said: “I didn’t really think about those around me… the decision that I made in hindsight was the wrong decision and I’m truly sorry for everyone that I did affect.”
The 24-year-old said that the experience and subsequent backlash was “traumatic”. She also said she considered walking away from the sport.
Although initially appearing defiant in a now-deleted Instagram post, Wietrzyk apologised in the week after the Beijing event and said she would forfeit the win and retroactively withdraw from the race.
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