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Ian at Southampton Sports Centre.

CAN you feel the force of the Gladiators? One Hampshire man certainly has.

Super-fit schoolteacher Ian Deeth beat off competition from more than 20,000 entrants to become one of 32 contestants in the new version of the 90s TV show.

During his interviews for the show the 28-year-old athletics champion from Totton passed a number of gruelling fitness tests before taking on the bicep-bulging TV stars earlier this year.

Ian had more than a dozen pupils from his Year 4 class at Abbotswood School along with family and friends to help cheer him on in a bid to win the £50,000 prize.

Ian, who teaches PE at the junior school, said: "I'm very pleased I did it. It was a big opportunity and I absolutely loved it. But the thing that made it most special was having my friends, family and class with me. My class absolutely loved it and said it was the most incredible day of their lives."

Ian, who currently competes for the Belgrave Harriers in the British League Premier Division, decided to join up after spotting the advert in a national newspaper.

He said: "I have been a 400m Great Britain Under 23 runner and have always loved athletics, this just seemed like a new and exciting challenge.

"It was different to how I imagined it was going to be. You don't get a chance to practise what events you are going to do beforehand which is a bit annoying.

"But I think the new Gladiators are an awesome bunch of athletes."

It's been eight years since the series last appeared on UK screens but the show has now returned to Sky One this month with 12 new gladiators and the original legendary referee John Anderson.

Although Ian can't tell us if he won, as it hasn't yet appeared on TV he said he was one of the fastest on the strength sapping Travelator-the final stage of The Eliminator.

Gladiators is on Sky One on Sunday night.

7:30am Saturday 17th May 2008

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