--- title: "Spectators Horrified as Hyrox Athlete Recreates “Two Girls One Cup” at Live Competition" description: "Organizers of a recent Hyrox competition in China have been accused of allowing participants be exposed to a trail of fecal matter." date: "2026-09-15" modified: "2026-09-15" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor.md" url: "https://futurism.com/health-medicine/spectators-horrified-hyrox-athlete" categories: - "Health & Medicine" - "Medical" - "Pathogens" --- # Spectators Horrified as Hyrox Athlete Recreates “Two Girls One Cup” at Live Competition ![Joanna Wietrzyk of Australia takes part in HYROX Beijing 2026.]() *Fred Lee/Getty Images* Conventional gym etiquette involves carefully wiping down the surfaces of any machines or equipment after using it. Businesses usually provide customers with wet wipes, or simple sprays and towels, to keep faux leather padding and other public surfaces pristine and sanitary. But during professional events, that level of cleanliness isn't always guaranteed. Organizers of a recent Hyrox competition in China, the spiritual successor of the Crossfit craze, have been accused of allowing participants be exposed to a trail of human waste — left behind, memorably, by the athlete who went on to win the competition. As [*The Guardian* reports](), Australian world record holder Joanna Wietrzyk used shared stations, including rowing machines, sleds, and medicine balls, while "faecal matter" was "visibly running down her legs," a horrifying incident vaguely reminiscent of one of the [most infamous and reviled videos in internet history](). The incident drew an outburst of disgust across social media. "I guess I'm never doing a Hyrox event," one user wrote in a [post on Bluesky](). "Oh my god." "Saw a big Hyrox poster at the gym and all I thought of was that lady shitting herself," another [tweeted](). "That’s their brand now." "This should result in a hard stop for the competitor because the public health risk is more important than the medal," one user [argued](). "Hyrox has way too many shared touch points and surfaces to let this continue." Others used the opportunity to poke fun. "A s\*\*\*\*y situation for all parties and tough for Hyrox to save faeces," another [joked](). Organizers were criticized for allowing the competition to continue despite having clear bio-contaminant rules in place. "Protocols designed for elite competition and mass participation became blurred, creating ambiguity in how they were applied and understood," Hyrox World wrote in an statement, in one of the more acrobatic euphemisms we can recall. Hyrox cofounder Moritz Fürste [issued an apology on Instagram]() as well. "Hyrox made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race," he wrote. "In the end it is my job to foresee these potential incidents — and I did not." "Of course, we started improving event processes," Fürste went on, "plus making rulebook changes immediately." The shocking incident highlights the fact that professional endurance athletes soiling themselves isn't as rare as it may seem. Long distance runners, for instance, are known to suffer from "runner's diarrhea," like Paula Radcliffe, who had to [relieve herself in full view]() of the public during the 2005 London marathon. Radcliffe still won with a time of 2:17:42 — albeit with a little less dignity than she started. **More on athletes:** [*They Held a New Olympics Where Athletes Can Take as Many Drugs and Steroids as They Want, and the Funniest Possible Thing Happened*]() ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()