'I made the wrong decision,' Hyrox athlete who soiled herself in race tells BBC
Hyrox athlete Joanna Wietrzyk has apologized for continuing to compete in a Beijing race after suffering a bout of diarrhea. The incident has prompted the organization to implement new rules allowing officials to remove athletes if they pose a health risk to others.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the intersection of athlete determination and public health safety in high-intensity, shared-equipment sporting events.
An Australian athlete has admitted making the wrong decision and 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 had considered walking away from the sport, in which she holds a world record.
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