Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk has sparked controversy after continuing and winning a Hyrox indoor multi-sport competition in Beijing despite reportedly soiling herself during the race.
The 22-year-old continued with running, lunges, burpees and wall balls while visibly covered in faeces, with footage of the incident going viral online.
Critics branded her decision “disgusting” and “selfish”, while questioning why organisers did not disqualify her over hygiene concerns.
Wietrzyk reportedly defended her decision in a now-deleted Instagram post, saying: “Go hard or go home… A win is a win.”
Hyrox co-founder Moritz Furste apologised to anyone affected and said the organisation could review its rules. Hyrox also condemned online threats against Wietrzyk, warning that anyone encouraging harm would be permanently banned.
The incident has revived debate over the limits of sporting determination and athlete responsibility towards fellow competitors.
