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'Gladiators' Knocks Out Trainer

Tribune photo by VICTOR JUNCO

Melissa Trinidad, a fitness trainer in Tampa, lived out a childhood dream by competing on "American Gladiators."

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By WALT BELCHER

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 9, 2008

Updated: 05/09/2008 07:11 pm

TAMPA - Melissa Trinidad says it took physical prowess and "nerves of steel" to compete on "American Gladiators."

The 30-year-old fitness trainer from Tampa got to "live out a dream" that she has had since childhood when she competed on the NBC reality show, which begins a second season at 8 p.m. Monday.

"This is something that I have wanted to do since I was a little girl," she says. "I started watching the show when I was 11 years old."

Trinidad, who has lived in the Tampa area since 1999, remembers the original "Gladiators," which aired in syndication from 1989 to 1996.

The series featured contestants competing in a series of physical challenges against each other and against a brawny crew of muscular heroes with stage names such as Nitro, Zap, Blaze and Titan.

NBC revived the format and updated it with a bigger budget, high-tech challenges and hosts Hulk Hogan and Laila Ali.
Amateur athletes face new "gladiators" with stage names such as Crush, Fury, Hellga, Siren, Jet and Venom.

"The events are more showy and flashy, and the technology has advanced; it's totally different and it's awesome," says Trinidad, who is among the 20 women contenders who will start out the season Monday night.

"The events also are more intricate and harder," she adds.

All of the episodes have been taped, and Trinidad can't disclose how far she goes in the competition or whether she wins.

Trinidad, who comes from a military family, says she has always been interested in competition and fitness.

"When I was a little girl, I played on a boys basketball team because there was no girls team," she says. "In college I played tennis, and I competed in amateur kickboxing and martial arts, and now I work as a professional trainer.

"Fitness has been an integral part of my life," she adds. She works at Lifestyle Family Fitness in Hyde Park.

She says that earlier this year, she was surfing the Internet and came across a casting call for "American Gladiators" in Orlando. "The next thing you know, I was there with a few friends. I went through a series of auditions and got a couple of callbacks, and then I was on the show."

The first season ended in February with Evan Dollard, a 25-year-old retail manager from Chicago, winning the male division. Monica Carlson, 32, a sports model from Oregon, won the women's division. Each won $100,000, a car and a position as gladiators in the series' second season.

During this second season, Dollard and Carlson join the 12 returning gladiators. Also joining the gladiator squad is Phoenix (Jennifer Widerstrom).

NBC also announced that there are seven new events in a new state-of-the-art Gladiator Arena. The two-hour premiere Monday showcases Trinidad vs. firefighter and Chernobyl survivor Elena Maskalik.

The series is taped in the Los Angeles Sports Arena.

Trinidad is a single mom with a 6-year-old daughter, Mayala. She says her daughter and her fiance, Jason Bellanti, came out to watch her compete and cheer her on.

She also got to meet host Hulk Hogan, a wrestling icon who grew up in Tampa.

"He was nice," she says. "We didn't hang out or anything like that but I told him that people in Brandon love him - that's where I live now - and he smiled."

Trinidad graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in journalism. She briefly wrote a "Tips From the Trainer" fitness column for the Tribune's 4You health publication.

"Fitness is my passion, but if I could write about it at some point, that would be ideal," she says.

She says her strengths include all-round fitness, speed, agility and power.

"But it's most important to be able to handle the pressure of being on the show," she says.

"No amount of preparation could prepare me for what I felt competing on that show. There's nothing that can compare to the rush of adrenaline that you get when you know all the cameras are pointing at you and you better not mess up."

Trinidad says that she would love to be one of the gladiators.

"You get glammed up, you stay in terrific shape, and you get to beat people up. Sounds like the job for me," she says.

After the premiere, episodes will air Mondays throughout the summer, with repeats on Friday nights.

Trinidad is planning a watching party at Champps Restaurant & Bar in International Plaza.

For information about "American Gladiators," go to nbc.com.

Reporter Walt Belcher can be reached at (813 259-7654 or wbelcher@tampatrib.com.

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