Latest news with #AneilaAfsar
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gladiators: Female final winner crowned
Warrington fitness trainer Amanda Wah has been crowned the female winner of the popular BBC show Gladiators. She went against Manchester supply teacher Aneila Afsar, who had earned a 1.5-second head start from their previous events but was beaten before the finish line on the final assault course of the Eliminator. Millions are expected to have watched the final, where the pair smashed and bashed their way through a series of brutal challenges. Wah dedicated her win to her late mother, saying the experience had been "unbelievable". The mother-of-two described the professional gladiators as the "biggest, fiercest, strongest people but also extremely supportive" and detailed their help with cramps and her shoe coming off. "They are professionals and they don't want to hurt anyone, they care and it's amazing." Hundreds of people watched the final at the Momentum Collective gym in Warrington, which Wah helps run and where she works as a fitness trainer. Given the show had been recorded earlier, she told BBC Radio Manchester it had been a challenge to keep the outcome to herself ahead of Saturday's broadcast. She has been supported by more than a hundred friends and family who went to support her during the show's filming at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield "I couldn't have asked for anything more," she said. Her rival contender, Aneila Afsar made history as the first on the show to wear a hijab and said she wanted to be "visible Muslim role model" for her daughter. She took the place of Zavia Hill, a personal trainer from Manchester, who was unable to continue after a leg injury she suffered in the semi-final. Aneila admitted reaching the final was "bittersweet" and said it "wasn't the way I wanted to get there". She also called Zavia "an incredible contender" and said: "It's an honour to represent her and I'll actually be wearing some of her gems in the final. On coming second, she said: "I'm so proud - what a dream coming as the first competitor who's ever wore hijab and breaking so many barriers and to make it to the final. "This has been one of the best experiences of my life." Gymnastics coach Joe Fishburn, from Scarborough, beat London youth worker Mus Dumbuya to be crowned male winner of the 2025 series. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. 'Nothing we can't do': Gladiators' first hijabi contender aims to inspire
BBC News
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Gladiators: Excitement builds ahead of all-North West finale
Hundreds of people are expected to pack out a gym to watch their local trainer battle it out on the big screen in grand finale of the TV show Wah from Warrington is set to go head-to-head with fellow North West contender Aneila Afsar, a supply teacher from Manchester. Millions are expected to watch the two smash and bash their way through a series of brutal challenges before one is ultimately crowned female champion for Wah said she had kitted out the gym she owns with seats and a screen for the event for friends and family who had "all come along for the ride" on her journey to the final. The personal trainer and mother-of-two, who runs Momentum Collective in Warrington, said her experience on the show was one of a childhood dream turning into reality"I grew up watching it, and thought, oh my goodness, I want a go of that," she said. Given the show is recorded, she told BBC Radio Manchester it had been a challenge to keep the outcome to herself ahead of the final has been supported by more than a hundred friends and family who went to support her during the show's filming at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield"I couldn't have asked for anything more," she said. Her rival contender, Aneila Afsar made history as the first on the show to wear a hijab and said she wanted to be "visible Muslim role model" for her took the place of Zavia Hill, a personal trainer from Manchester, who was unable to continue after a leg injury she suffered in the semi-final. Aneila admitted reaching the final was "bittersweet" and said it "wasn't the way I wanted to get there".She also called Zavia "an incredible contender" and said: "It's an honour to represent her and I'll actually be wearing some of her gems in the final."Winning Gladiators would be amazing. I'm a competitive person and a former pro-athlete so I'm always in it to win it."But honestly, just getting here is huge. I've already broken so many barriers as the first Muslim woman on the show, and now being in the final is incredible."Gladiators: Grand Final is on 12 April at 17.50 BST on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Nothing we can't do': Gladiators' first hijabi contender aims to inspire
When Aneila Afsar first appeared on Gladiators, she made history. The popular BBC One show which pits gladiators against contenders in a series of physical challenges was rebooted last year and Aneila has made it to Saturday's semi-finals. She became the first person ever to compete on the show wearing a hijab and says she gains strength from wearing it. "I love that I have the opportunity to go on this iconic show and inspire young Muslim girls, women from my community, and show them that there's nothing we can't do," the 26-year-old tells BBC Newsbeat. Many Muslim girls and women wear the hijab, an Islamic head covering, as a symbol of modesty. Aneila hasn't always worn one, only choosing to cover her hair three years ago, and part of that was because she didn't see other hijabis within sports. The mum-of-two from Lancashire is a former taekwondo champion, winning a Commonwealth Championship in the youth category. Back then, she "didn't have the courage to embrace the scarf". "Part of that was because of not having female Muslim role models in the sport or sports in general. "It was hard adapting to wearing a headscarf while being in the fitness industry. "Going from not covering to then covering everything which includes your hair, you can feel as if people are staring, you don't feel confident," she says. But as she got older, Aneila found the confidence to be that role model herself and now she sees the hijab differently. "It's empowering, it's my superpower. I love it." The hijab can sometimes be a controversial topic in sport and at last year's Paris Olympics, French athletes were banned from wearing one even though the International Olympic Committee allowed them to. In 2023, Moroccan footballer Nouhaila Benzina made history as the first player to wear a hijab at the Women's World Cup. They had been banned until 2014 by the game's governing body Fifa. Since first appearing on the show, Aneila says not everyone has been so positive about her hijab though. She's posted about receiving Islamophobic and racist abuse on social media, but says overall it's been heavily outweighed by the encouraging reaction. That's important to Aneila who says she wants to show "you can wear a hijab, be involved in fitness and still pursue your dreams". "I'm getting messages from girls as young as 12 telling me that I'm the reason they're taking gymnastics again and that they feel that they can now be involved in sport." And it's not just young girls who've been inspired by Aneila. "Since being on Gladiators, I've received messages from women in their 40s who say if there was a visible Muslim woman wearing a headscarf when they were younger, their whole journey with fitness would have been different," she says. And she hopes her journey on Gladiators will encourage her own children to feel comfortable being themselves too. "My daughter was getting older and I wanted to be a visible Muslim role model for her," she says. "I have used my children to be my inspiration. It's because of them I wanted to wear a headscarf." Aneila says the reaction she's had since first appearing on Gladiators helped her realise "we can push the barriers out, break any stereotypes". "The hijab is not a limitation." Gladiators will air on BBC One at 17:50 on Saturday 5 April. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. 'I want to inspire British Pakistanis to be the first in their field' Diving for Olympic glory after career-threatening injury Young Muslim footballers say Benzina is a role model
BBC News
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Gladiators' first hijabi contender Aneila Afsar aims to inspire
When Aneila Afsar first appeared on Gladiators, she made popular BBC One show which pits gladiators against contenders in a series of physical challenges was rebooted last year and Aneila has made it to Saturday's became the first person ever to compete on the show wearing a hijab and says she gains strength from wearing it."I love that I have the opportunity to go on this iconic show and inspire young Muslim girls, women from my community, and show them that there's nothing we can't do," the 26-year-old tells BBC Newsbeat. Many Muslim girls and women wear the hijab, an Islamic head covering, as a symbol of hasn't always worn one, only choosing to cover her hair three years ago, and part of that was because she didn't see other hijabis within sports. 'My superpower' The mum-of-two from Lancashire is a former taekwondo champion, winning a Commonwealth Championship in the youth then, she "didn't have the courage to embrace the scarf"."Part of that was because of not having female Muslim role models in the sport or sports in general."It was hard adapting to wearing a headscarf while being in the fitness industry."Going from not covering to then covering everything which includes your hair, you can feel as if people are staring, you don't feel confident," she as she got older, Aneila found the confidence to be that role model herself and now she sees the hijab differently. "It's empowering, it's my superpower. I love it." The hijab can sometimes be a controversial topic in sport and at last year's Paris Olympics, French athletes were banned from wearing one even though the International Olympic Committee allowed them 2023, Moroccan footballer Nouhaila Benzina made history as the first player to wear a hijab at the Women's World Cup. They had been banned until 2014 by the game's governing body Fifa. Since first appearing on the show, Aneila says not everyone has been so positive about her hijab posted about receiving Islamophobic and racist abuse on social media, but says overall it's been heavily outweighed by the encouraging important to Aneila who says she wants to show "you can wear a hijab, be involved in fitness and still pursue your dreams"."I'm getting messages from girls as young as 12 telling me that I'm the reason they're taking gymnastics again and that they feel that they can now be involved in sport." And it's not just young girls who've been inspired by Aneila. "Since being on Gladiators, I've received messages from women in their 40s who say if there was a visible Muslim woman wearing a headscarf when they were younger, their whole journey with fitness would have been different," she she hopes her journey on Gladiators will encourage her own children to feel comfortable being themselves too. "My daughter was getting older and I wanted to be a visible Muslim role model for her," she says."I have used my children to be my inspiration. It's because of them I wanted to wear a headscarf."Aneila says the reaction she's had since first appearing on Gladiators helped her realise "we can push the barriers out, break any stereotypes"."The hijab is not a limitation." Gladiators will air on BBC One at 17:50 on Saturday 5 April. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.
