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The ridicule aimed at Australian HYROX champion Joanna Wietrzyk after her mid-race bowel accident could deepen the shame felt by millions of Australians managing continence issues, an Australian business founder says.
Elizabeth Anieto, founder of continence underwear brand Svelte, has spoken out after the Melbourne athlete’s victory in Beijing triggered a global debate over hygiene and whether she should have continued competing.
The 22-year-old completed the event despite suffering bowel incontinence, with footage circulating widely and attracting both support and mocking comments.
Wietrzyk continued through exercises including burpees, lunges and wall balls before winning, prompting questions about the response from race officials.
Speaking to Daily Mail, Ms Anieto said questions about how officials handled the incident should not become an excuse to humiliate the athlete.
'I don't really think any of us can really know what was happening for her in that moment,' she said.
Australian HYROX star Joanna Wietrzyk won in Beijing despite suffering a bowel accident during the demanding fitness event
Svelte founder Elizabeth Anieto said mocking Wietrzyk could worsen the stigma experienced by people privately managing bladder or bowel leakage
'But I think the way we talk about a person when their body has let them down matters as well.'
Ms Anieto, whose business develops pull-up continence underwear, said the reaction exposed how uncomfortable people remained with discussing bladder and bowel control.
'Some of the reaction shows just how much shame is still attached to losing bladder or bowel control,' she said.
'Because already incontinence is something that many people find very difficult to discuss.'
She said mocking someone who experienced leakage could compound that stigma, including for people watching the reaction while privately managing their own symptoms.
An estimated 7.2million Australians, or one in three people aged over 15, experience bladder or bowel control issues, according to Continence Health Australia.
Bladder leakage accounts for the vast majority of cases. Roughly one in 30 people experience bowel incontinence.
The organisation’s figures also challenge the perception that the condition predominantly affects elderly Australians.
The Melbourne athlete faced online ridicule after footage of her continuing to compete circulated widely on social media
Seven in 10 people experiencing incontinence are under 65, with an average age of 51. Almost four in 10 women and two in 10 men are affected.
Nine in 10 people with incontinence live in the community rather than residential aged care facilities.
Ms Anieto said Wietrzyk’s experience had brought the issue into public view through someone who did not fit the stereotype.
'What I can say confidently is that continence issues are not confined to just older people, and the reasons can be very individual.'
She declined to guess at prevalence figures during the interview, saying those numbers should come from clinical or continence health sources.
With a background in global health procurement, Ms Anieto spent almost two years researching continence products and speaking with people about their experiences while developing Svelte.
That research included practical considerations such as comfort, fit, discretion and movement for people managing leakage during everyday activities.
She said people managing leakage often faced private concerns about ordinary activities, far removed from the cameras and crowds surrounding an international sporting event.
Seven in 10 Australians experiencing incontinence are younger than 65, challenging assumptions that the condition primarily affects seniors
'Because most people managing bladder or bowel leakage will never experience anything like this in public,' she said.
For those people, the worry could be a leak while going to the gym, working or travelling.
'So the bigger message is that continence issues do not have to become your identity or stop you living your life.'
HYROX combines eight 1km runs with eight workout stations, requiring competitors to alternate running with exercises including sled pushes, rowing, weighted carries and sandbag lunges.
HYROX China said affected areas and race lanes were immediately closed and isolated before being thoroughly disinfected following Wietrzyk’s accident.
The clean-up included sanitising equipment and replacing sections of carpet.
HYROX co-founder Moritz Fürste subsequently apologised and announced changes to event procedures and the rulebook.
'Of course, we have already started improving event processes and making changes to the rulebook. As of this moment, new rules and procedures are in place to prevent situations like this from happening again,' he said.
'We learn and try to get better every day.'
Wietrzyk later shared an image from hospital and thanked those who had supported her.
'Go hard or go home they say... a win is a win.'
'In all seriousness, thank you for all the support. I'll be back soon.'
