You know how much we love our strong, inspirational figures from the fitness world around here, which is one of the reasons we’re so excited for the return of Gladiators to BBC1 with its impressive lineup of new and exciting talent. One Gladiator in particular that we’ve got our eye on is Sabre, also known as Sheli McCoy. Here’s everything you need to know about this CrossFit champion turned Gladiator.
Sheli McCoy is originally from Windsor, but after graduating with a master’s degree from Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen she set up home in Dundee. It’s here that she also set up SweatBox Dundee, the gym she co-owns with former Dundee Stars player Sam McCluskey.
As well as owning the place, Sheli also works at SweatBox Dundee as a trainer and is passionate about encouraging other women and the younger generation to reach their full fitness potential.
And Sheli is definitely a woman to look up to. She has an impressive track record in the worlds of weightlifting and CrossFit, taking part in 5 British Weightlifting Championships and competing in CrossFit championships across the globe. Oh, and she’s even nabbed herself the title of Scottish Champion in both sports!
So, how did Sheli McCoy end up as one of the Gladiators on the new series? Well it all started when the producers of the Gladiators reboot cast their net wide, looking for elite athletes in peak physical condition to join the show. Sheli simply answered the call, and before she knew it she was being unveiled as Sabre on Channel 4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch.
You might want to have a hunt for clips from that show because she made quite an entrance, lifting guest host Anna Maxwell to her seat as a way of introducing herself as Sabre!
And over on her social media channels Sheli shared her excitement about joining the Gladiators team, captioning a group shot with the words ‘OHANA – it means family’.
Speaking of social media, Sheli’s a bit of a star over on Insta, with 102k followers on her personal account @sheli_mccoyofficial. And when you scroll through her feed you can see why so many people stick around to get their regular dose of fitness inspiration.
What’s especially inspiring to see is how Sheli’s picked herself back up after sustaining an injury while filming the new Gladiators series. She suffered a hamstring tear that’s taken her out of the game for awhile, but she’s smiling through it and staying positive, saying “Up to that point, every single day was a blessing and every event an unforgettable experience that I would repeat in a second. I’m so thankful for such a phenomenal opportunity and I gave my absolute everything in each event to do justice to such an honour and privilege”.
So while she might not have had the chance to see the whole series through, Sabre is still very much a part of the Gladiators team and she is busy getting fighting fit ready for round 2.
Next, learn more about other gladiators: Everything You Need To Know About Phantom From Gladiators or Everything You Need To Know About Legend From Gladiators.
