Search
shop

Triathlon superstar Marten van Riel’s IRONMAN South Africa bid hit by brutal food poisoning

Sounded like an unpleasant week for the T100 world champion
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

T100 World Champion Marten Van Riel suffered both on and off the course last weekend as he earned his berth at the IRONMAN World Championship in Nice with second-place at IRONMAN South Africa.

The 32-year-old Belgian star, who will be back in action on Sunday at T100 Singapore, was competing in just his second full-distance race and put in a solid performance behind the scintillating winner Magnus Ditlev.

However, the two-time Olympian was battling health issues throughout race week, suffering from a bout of food poisoning which hampered his performance before and during the 140.6-mile test in Port Elizabeth.

Van Riel ‘Sick from both ends’

Van Riel gave an indication of his perilous IRONMAN South Africa experience on his Instagram account.

Magnus Ditlev Marten Van Riel Jonas Schomburg IRONMAN South Africa 2025
Marten Van Riel on the men’s podium in South Africa [Photo credit: IRONMAN]

“Second place in IRONMAN South Africa behind the big man @magnuselbaekditlev. I was a bit disappointed at first because my race week didn’t go as planned due to food poisoning and that was frustrating after a pretty much flawless build up these last months.

“Ironman is a very hard distance to nail and you don’t have many opportunities but that is what makes it exciting and challenging. Most importantly, my ticket for the IRONMAN World Champs in Nice is in the pocket and I can’t wait to give it another go there.”

Not the only

In an interview on the All In Triathlon Podcast with Jelle Geens and Aaron Royle ahead of this week’s race in Singapore, Van Riel confirmed that in the build up to the IRONMAN Pro Series event that “he was sick from both ends.”

“A lot of the competitors had issues, a lot had some kind of gastrointestinal issues. In South Africa the food is different, which I think was the thing,” he explained.

Marten Van Riel - T100 San Francisco 2024 post-race
Van Riel suggests some sliced shop chicken caused his IRONMAN South Africa issues [Photo Credit – PTO]

“I’m pretty sure I had food poisoning, because it was very similar to other times I had food poisoning. Food gets prepared differently with different hygienic standards, but also the tap water is not drinkable – so maybe even brushing my teeth with it, cleaning my bottles with it could be the thing.

“Using the water to wash veggies, ice in drinks which is likely tap water, it could be those little things. I think mine though was I bought some sliced chicken from the shop, rather than the restaurant I went to.

“When I went to bed that night I already felt a little bit bad, then after two hours of sleep I woke up and had to use the toilet both ways which was logistically very difficult.”

For full details of the ins and outs, he provides even more graphic details on the podcast.

Stuart Dick
Written by
Stuart Dick
Stuart is a graduate of the University of Sunderland with a masters' degree in Sports Journalism. He spends a lot of his time running and cycling around West Yorkshire, England.
Discover more
tri-fit vortex tri suit review
TRI-FIT VORTEX tri suit review – race day approved performance
Maja Stage Nielsen Kat Matthews Jocelyn McCauley IRONMAN Texas 2023 podium photo credit IRONMAN
PremiumRacing to keep up: Is social media making us train harder?
Cadomotus chronos aero triathlon cycling shoes
The triathlon cycling shoe that promises a 10-watt saving: Cadomotus Chronos Aero triathlon cycling shoes review
Wahoo ELEMNT RIVAL
PremiumTraining to heart rate vs power on the bike
Caroline Pohle Lena Meissner ironman 703 jonkoping sprint 2025
PremiumHow to pace a triathlon to leave it all out there WITHOUT blowing up
latest News
Laura Madsen wins IRONMAN 70.3 Les Sables 2024 photo credit IRONMAN
‘Underdog’ Laura Madsen dreaming of T100 glory after London comeback
Georgia Taylor-Brown London T100 post race
“I am just an amateur in this” Olympian Georgia Taylor-Brown reflects on learnings from London as she gets set to take to the French Riviera T100 start line
World of Triathlon LIVE
From first-time age-grouper to putting on a HUGE triathlon exhibition – meet the triathlon inspired exhibition professional behind World of Triathlon LIVE
Georgia Taylor Brown Paris Olympics 2024 medal
Georgia Taylor-Brown poised to go “all in” for gold at LA Olympics
Patrick Lange IRONMAN World Championship Kona 2024 photo credit Getty Images for IRONMAN
IRONMAN World Championship Nice 2025: Men’s start list finalised
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

TRI247-LOGO_Primary-Black_RGB-1

CHOOSE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO BECOME PART OF SOMETHING EPIC

We’re on a mission to elevate the world of endurance sport, becoming your go-to resource for expert training tips and inspiration, unbiased reporting and creating a platform for grassroots voices. But we can’t do it without you on board! Choose a TRI247+ membership option below and become part of something epic.

All plans include a 7-day free trial

£7.95/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

100+ new articles/month

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

All plans include a 7-day free trial

£47.95/year
£95.40/year

50% Discount

100+ new articles/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

Share to...