BEIJING, Sept. 18 -- An Australian Hyrox athlete who continued racing after soiling herself during a Beijing event has apologised and forfeited her win following a wave of criticism over hygiene and safety standards.

The incident drew widespread attention after photos and videos of Joanna Wietrzyk competing with visibly soiled legs circulated online, prompting debate over how organisers handled the situation and whether other competitors were exposed to contamination, according to a report by the New York Times.

Wietrzyk said in an Instagram post yesterday that she "regret(s) the decision to not have stepped off the track," adding, "I want to offer my sincere apology to the people of China, my fellow competitors, the spectators and the ...