A top Chinese athlete has been dubbed “the runner with the runs” after soiling himself in an untimely bout of diarrhea at the Shanghai International Half-Marathon on Sunday.
Wu Xiangdong, who felt “unwell” after 10 kilometers, began to relieve himself past the 14-kilometer mark of the 21-kilometer race, Sina Sports reported.
“I kept running and didn’t stop [to go to the toilet because there weren’t any] and I wanted to beat the African runner at the finish.”
Wu finished and won his category in one hour, six minutes and 16 seconds. He believes that he could have been faster without diarrhea.
“I was really relieved when I crossed the finish line,” Wu said. “It seemed I had more power after I excreted everything [during the race]. I definitely would have run faster if I didn’t have this [episode].”
Wu suspects that he had suffered from the runs due to the wet clothes he was wearing. He had bread and water before the race.
“I don’t think it was because of what I ate. It was a mighty relief to have had the toilet in the end.”
In the end, Ethiopian runners bested both men’s and women’s categories, with Antenayehu Dagnachew Yisma (1:02:32) and Bedatu Hirpa Badane (1:12:10) emerging as champions, respectively.
While Wu made it clear that he wants to remember nothing from the race, many praised him for completing his category in such a nightmare-ish predicament.
Weibo users commented:
“Congratulations for making it first!”
“I admire your will to win, though I can’t help but laugh at this.”
“You’re very athletic, but the whole ordeal must be very uncomfortable.”
“This kind of situation is normal in marathons. I admire your sportsmanship.”
“Despite your circumstance, you still stuck to the end of the race! You are the best.”
