Australian Hyrox athlete Joanna Wietrzyk makes public apology: ‘I did make the wrong decision’
After making headlines worldwide when she soiled herself while competing in an endurance sports event in Beijing last September, Australian Hyrox athlete Joanna Wietrzyk finally faced the public in an exclusive sit down interview with British media outlet BBC which was released last October 30. In her first interview since the competition in China, Joanna shared that she had suffered a bacterial infection from food poisoning, but had started the race feeling good and ready to compete.
“Obviously, that was the main sort of factor of the situation, why I kept on competing and I said I came into the race feeling fresh, feeling very, very good. It was a very sudden experience that happened and it wasn’t until about halfway through the race where everything did transpire and I did feel really, really bad. And in that moment, right then and there, as a very competitive person that I am and an elite athlete that I am, my only focus is on racing. And I started that race with the intention of finishing the race and winning. And when everything did happen during the race, that was still my intention. I didn’t really think about those around me, which looking back, and looking back at the decision that I made, in hindsight, was the wrong decision and I’m truly sorry for everyone that I did affect in that situation,” she told BBC.
The Hyrox athletics franchise in China apologized publicly for allowing an athlete to complete an event in and reportedly refunded some competitors their entry fees.
The 24-year-old athlete also received more flak after seemingly showing no remorse for her actions when she shared a social media post published after the race which included the words “Go hard or go home” and “a win is a win”. “I didn’t really account for what the public would have seen that situation as. [It] was very eye-opening for me to see the effect of social media nowadays, especially from someone who’s 24, just out there racing. Yes, I did make the wrong decision but I don’t believe I should have received such backlash and such scrutiny online… At the end of the day I’m only human.”
After the competition, where she topped the women’s division, Joanna shared that she made the decision to take some time off the internet and isolate herself from the world as netizens from all over the world continued to criticize her actions, with some even sending threats to her family members. Describing the experience as a “mentally and emotionally taxing period” in her life.
“I can’t do that forever. I still have so much more I can achieve in this sport so I think, for me, my mental resilience is the key here where I can inspire others through what I’ve been through. I needed those days to reflect on it and process it. There is more to life… than just racing and just winning.”