Hyrox, the global endurance fitness race, is revising its protocols after a top athlete soiled herself and was allowed to continue during a competition in Beijing on Sept. 12.
Photos from the indoor competition show Australian Joanna Wietrzyk, the 22-year-old Hyrox world champion, with fecal matter running down her legs during the age 16-24 elite race. Wietzryk won the race with a time of 1:01:23, besting second-place finisher Alyssa McElheny of the United States by 45 seconds.
The incident sparked online outrage over potential health risks, prompting Hyrox co-founder Moritz Furste to release a statement on Monday, Sept. 14 admitting that race organizers failed by not removing Wietryzk from the competition.
"HYROX made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race," Furste wrote in an Instagram post. "In the end it is my job to foresee these potential incidents – and I did not. Of course, we started improving event processes, plus making rulebook changes immediately. As of this moment, there are new rules and procedures in place to prevent situations like this from happening again."
USA TODAY Sports reached out to Hyrox, Wietrzyk and her coach for comment on Monday morning and did not immediately hear back.
#immediately
Photos from the indoor competition show Australian Joanna Wietrzyk, the 22-year-old Hyrox world champion, with fecal matter running down her legs during the age 16-24 elite race. Wietzryk won the race with a time of 1:01:23, besting second-place finisher Alyssa McElheny of the United States by 45 seconds.
The incident sparked online outrage over potential health risks, prompting Hyrox co-founder Moritz Furste to release a statement on Monday, Sept. 14 admitting that race organizers failed by not removing Wietryzk from the competition.
"HYROX made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race," Furste wrote in an Instagram post. "In the end it is my job to foresee these potential incidents – and I did not. Of course, we started improving event processes, plus making rulebook changes immediately. As of this moment, there are new rules and procedures in place to prevent situations like this from happening again."
USA TODAY Sports reached out to Hyrox, Wietrzyk and her coach for comment on Monday morning and did not immediately hear back.
#immediately
2 months ago
