Gladiator Fury takes on World Coal Carrying Championships
Gladiators star Jodie Ounsley was only three years old when she watched in awe as her dad trudged through the garden with an enormous sack of coal slung over his shoulders.Little did she know that it was part of his training for the annual World Coal Carrying Championships, but that did not stop her curiosity.Eager to join in, she grabbed a sack of carrots instead and sprinted around the kitchen - her own mini version of the challenge.Having won the children's race five times at the West Yorkshire event, the former rugby union player is now setting her sights on the women's event.
Monday's event in Gawthorpe, near Ossett, sees runners haul sacks of coal across a distance of 3,320ft (1,012m).Traditionally, men carried 7st 12lb (50kg) sacks of coal and women carried 3st 2lb (20kg) from the Royal Oak pub to the village's Maypole Green.Jodie, known to many as Fury for her role on the BBC One show Gladiators, is looking forward to the challenge, albeit a little apprehensively."I'm just thinking 'what am I getting myself into?'," the 24-year-old says."You're uncomfortable straight away because you've got this awkward bag of coal on you, you've got your arms up and try running. "I think you take for granted when you're running, you can use your arms for momentum, but then having them up here, it's just awkward."She adds: "Basically, it's just whoever can cope with being uncomfortable for the longest."
Two weeks ago the former England Sevens player set a new Guinness World Record at Thornes Park Athletic Stadium in Wakefield, running 50m while carrying a bag of coal in just 8.06 seconds.Despite her success and sporting background, she says Monday's challenge would be about endurance and much more of a "mental battle"."With the Guinness World Record, that's a flat out dash, run as fast as you can - and that's what I'm most suited to, I'm more explosive and sort of power-related."I've had to do a lot more training to get in a good position to do well [in the championships], which I've absolutely loved because it's challenged me."Jodie attended the event in 2024 as a spectator to support her father Phil, a former winner of the men's open race in 2007.At the time, she said she hoped to return to take part herself.
When asked which Gladiator she would like to see attempt the race, she says: "I'd love to see, Jamie, who's known as Giant. "He's just an absolute unit, it would just be amazing for kids to see him powering up that hill."She adds: "It's such a unique event. You're literally running with a sack of coal on your shoulders, it's just so bizarre. "But the feeling you get from it, I'd love for anyone to experience that."
As part of the race, Jodie is raising funds for The Elizabeth Foundation, which provides education services for babies and preschool children with all degrees of deafness.Jodie, who is profoundly deaf and was fitted with a cochlear implant at a young age, credits their support for shaping who she is today.The charity's deputy CEO, Karen Paine BEM, says they are proud Jodie - now their patron - will be taking part in this year's championship and she will be "cheering her on every step of the way"."As our patron, Jodie – along with her family – has been giving back to the charity for many years, helping us support even more families with young deaf children across the UK, including those in Yorkshire," she says."She really is a true role model –for deaf individuals of any age, and most definitely for The Elizabeth Foundation's deaf children, parents, alumni, volunteers and staff."Jodie's dad Phil will not be competing this year - it is his turn to watch his daughter from the side lines, as she trades that bag of carrots for the real deal.Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
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