MUM’S THE WORLD
Star Sheli credits her soldier parents for giving her the resilience and strength to shine on TV’s all-action reality show
GLADIATORS star Sheli McCoy has revealed she gets her resilience and warrior spirit from her army sergeant mum, who raised her and her brother alone after their dad was killed in a car accident.
The 35-year-old Scot, Sabre to her fans, says taking part in the reboot of the hit BBC show is her way of giving something back to Kaz, 66, who is her “hero, inspiration and best friend”.
Weightlifting champ Sheli, who was only three-and-a-half when her dad Sean passed away, said: “My mum and dad were both sergeants in the Army. Mum was Royal Signals and dad was Scots Guards so I come from warrior stock.
“Dad passed away when I was very little and ever since mum has been my mum, my dad, my best friend, my influence, my role model and my inspiration.
“Becoming a Gladiator was a really great way for me to give her something back. She did a brilliant job raising me and my brother and this is testament to that. She showed me just how resilient women can be.
“I used to watch all the Gladiators re-runs with my mum when I was wee as it was her favourite show so she is beside herself every week seeing me on the TV. Sitting on the sofa watching her watching me is just amazing.”
Sheli, who lives in Dundee, hopes her dad would be proud of her too and says losing him when she was so young gave her drive and determination.
The sports rehabilitation therapist, who was born in Windsor, said: “I think and hope my dad would be really proud of me being a Gladiator as he was big into sport and athleticism. Sometimes
I really envy my co-star Fury, whose dad is her training partner. I like to think Dad would be training me if he was still here.
“Losing him has made me tougher and stronger. Mum said I was a daddy’s girl and I know full well he would have handed me everything on a plate.
“I have worked for everything I have now and have developed more of a work ethic because I have needed too. My mum never gave me anything I didn’t deserve or hadn’t worked for and I think that has been the making of me.”
Sheli, who has become one of the biggest and most popular stars of the reboot, added: “Everyone in the world goes through tough times. You can either let them affect you or use them to spur you on and set an example and I think that is what I have done.
“Adversity is your adversary, it will either trigger your fight response or your flight response. I have always been a bit of a fighter whether that be in sport or in business. I do so much better when I am challenged.”
Sheli has serious sporting credentials, being a Scottish champion in five British Weightlifting Championships and setting records in Olympic weightlifting at the Scottish Championships. She is also a CrossFit champ.
The TV star, who trains between 16 and 19 hours