Australian Spartan

TOWNSVILLE’S MAX COGHILL OVERCAME A CRIPPLING CONDITION TO BECOME A PERSONAL TRAINER AND COMPETE IN A GRUELLING TV EVENT

Weeks before filming began on Seven’s Australian Spartan, an accident almost ruled contestant Max Coghill out. The 38-year-old personal trainer from Townsville, who was struck with debilitating arthritis in 2005, crashed while on a mountain bike ride and fractured his pelvis. “If you look at some of the footage on Spartan, like when my brother’s hanging off my leg trying to get over the wall, about 50 per cent of that is very, very real pain,” Max tells WHO. “It hurt a lot.”

Despite the pain, Coghill competes with his fiancée, Hayley Bogotto, 27, and his younger brother Jonathan, 35, as the Townsville Underdogs. “We wanted to have a crack at Spartan to see how we would go at taking part,” says makeup artist and personal trainer Hayley. “It’s been awesome.”

For Max, just being able to compete is an achievement. In 2005 while travelling in England, the former butcher was struck with a mystery virus that developed into reactive arthritis. “It was a condition where the immune system overreacts, and then attacks your joints and it went through my body—knees, ankles, wrists, fingers and then my back,” he says. “I was trying to exist on crutches but then I couldn’t walk at all and I needed a wheelchair. I was told that 10 per cent of people never recover. It was a pretty bad time.” But he didn’t give up. When he returned to Queensland’s far north, Max began rehabilitation with a regimen of strengthening exercises at his local gym. The arthritis gradually dissipated and his self-styled rehab inspired a new career: he now runs a health and fitness gym in Townsville. Says Coghill: “I actually rehabbed myself using the same methods I train people in today.”

Life took another good turn in 2010 when Max met his future fiancée at his gym, and they became engaged on New Year’s Eve 2016. Approached to compete in Australian Spartan last year, the two invited Jonathan, a construction rigger, to complete the trio. “In fitness you train for being under pressure, while working together at the same time,” Max says. “I reckon it’s made us stronger.” And knowing what her fiancé has endured is a constant inspiration for Hayley. “He’s pretty independent,” she says. “He’s very strong minded. •

Max (middle) with fiancée Hayley and brother Jonathan on Australian Spartan. Hayley says she and Max (at their engagement party last April) spend less than 20 hours apart each week.

Dylan Cartwright (left), Corbin Kiernan and Dylan Dhamu are Brisbane athletes determined to take out the $150,000 prize.