The Adventure Trail: Talking social media purges, Asian cultural pressure and body image with Bobbi Poulton and Samantha Chan
- Two of Hong Kong’s top female athletes, ultra runner Samantha Chan and crossfit trainer Bobbi Poulton talk about pressure and pushback on women in their fields
- How Instagram has become a toxic influence upon the professionals in the crossfit industry as well as the young women getting involved in gyms and exercise
Samantha Chan is one of Hong Kong’s top ultra marathon runners, completing the 400km Ultra Gobi marathon in one epic, continuous run as well as the seven-day 250km Marathon des Sables across the Sahara desert. Instead of being celebrated for her achievements, she’s faced criticism for not being ‘feminine enough’.
Bobbi Poulton is one of Hong Kong’s elite crossfit trainers and athletes, who is watching her sport and profession become affected by the toxic use of Instagram, the rise of ‘influencers’ and the culture of ‘doing it for the ‘gram’.
In this podcast both women share candid stories of pressure, criticism and pushback, even from those closest to them, about the way elite sport and their intensive exercise regmimen is changing the way they look, as well as how how social media’s influence is now becoming treated as a potential mental health risk.
