Many Millennials and most Gen Xers will remember growing up with the MTN Gladiators game show in the late 90s and very early 2000s. Though the show only ran for three years, it left a lasting impression on many of its fans.
Competitors faced off against one another, taking on various obstacles throughout the course while dodging whatever attacks the Gladiators launched against them, such as traversing a wobbling bridge while a large and heavy bag, much like a wrecking ball, was swung towards them. And, who can forget the baton fights atop an unstable pillar where a well-placed hit to the head could send a Gladiator tumbling to the ground below?
Twenty years later, it’s high time that those batons are picked up once more.
SAG Entertainment has recently acquired the rights to the television programme from the American film company, MGM Studios. The first version ran for seven seasons from 1999 to 2001, and as Andre Kilian, SAG co-owner noted, “The series was the most watched show in South Africa at that stage. We took the rights 20 years later to revive the series. We are visiting 26 towns looking for 24 contenders to go through to the series to battle the Gladiators on television. We also set out, for the first time, to take the new Gladiators along so that the community can meet them.”
Throughout June, the Gladiators worked alongside the Harlequins (Krugersdorp Sports Club), training many of their players in the ways of the Gladiator, later hosting one of their open audition days on the club’s rugby field.
Local contenders, two at a time, started at the furthest end of the rudimentary obstacle course where they were first tired out by a punishing session of high-intensity sprinting drills and push-ups before the Gladiators even stepped into the course. During the second segment, contenders had to get balls into a basket in the middle of the field by breaking past the towering Gladiators who didn’t hesitate to drive them into the ground when they got close. Round three saw a change-up in the Gladiator roster. Contenders struggled to, with quick feet and forward momentum drive past the four Gladiators standing in a straight line, knocking them out of bounds as they pushed on. Very few could make it through the very first of the mighty Gladiators though.
Veterans of the first iteration of the show were known by their stage names such as Spider, Thunder, Nightshade, Tusk, Fire, Ice and Sahara, which quickly and easily told the crowd just what each of their competitive styles were all about.
The West Rand has done a good job of filling the Gladiator ranks this year. Angel will be joined by Titan (Rikus Kruger), Wildebees (Renier Ludick), Adira (Sonet Behr), Crush, Force and Commander from across the West Rand when the television crew starts filming in September.
Following in their footsteps, Wildebees and Adira chose their names to represent their personalities and fighting styles on the course. Sonet ‘Adira’ Behr grew up and moved about Gauteng in her youth, spending part of her school years at Laerskool Rapportryer and Hoërskool Riebeeckrand. “I’ve had a couple of ideas for names, but the name Adira just had a beautiful ring to it. Plus, Adira means strong, noble and powerful [of Hebrew origin],” she explained. “I heard about the Gladiators’ reboot through an agent and I almost instantly grabbed at the opportunity. For me, being a sport lover, I just knew that this is a challenge that I would have to take on!”
Sonet was placed in the Gladiator line-up in February, and has been training hard ever since, saying “I think hard work, passion, commitment, dedication and pure muscle will open that door to become a Gladiator. Remember, it’s a heavy door. Wink wink!”
Renier Wildebees Ludick grew up in Randfontein and attended the El Nathan Akademie in Krugersdorp. He explained that he has always liked the animal throughout his life and that most of his clothes bear a wildebees logo. “And the name is catchy and fits my size!”
How Renier got involved with the Gladiators in the first place is a bit odd. “André approached me after I lifted his front double gate by myself when it derailed,” he chuckled.
Renier explained that he derives most of his motivation to compete from the people around him as he tries to make his team and the Gladiators’ management proud by accomplishing more every day, adding that, “Being a Gladiator takes lots of hard work, dedication, motivation and a strong belief in yourself. Do that and the rest will follow.”
The West Rand has done a good job of filling the Gladiator ranks this year. Adira and Wildebees will be joined by Angel (Arné Eksteen), Titan (Rikus Kruger), Crush, Force and Commander from across the West Rand when the television crew stars filming in September.
