The first South Asian and Sikh Gladiators star has shared the heartwarming reason behind one element of her character outfit. Karenjeet Kaur Bains, 29, otherwise known by her Gladiators name, Athena, is proud to be the first South Asian and Sikh gladiator to take to the arena, with the star sharing how she pays homage to her religion - even when she's fighting.
Wearing the Kara with Pride
"I wear my kara, which is a steel bangle - that I even wear when I'm on Gladiators," Karenjeet told BirminghamLive during the Girls of Brum event yesterday (June 11). She added: "That's why I have a cuff just to cover it up [for] protection."
Inspiring Ethnic Minority Parents
Karenjeet went on to say how her addition to the show has been gladly received, with dozens of parents from ethnic minorities reaching out to tell her how inspiring she is. "Often some of them [parents] were like 'when I was younger I wasn't allowed to do sport,' [and] even my own mum was fed the same narrative," she said.
Karenjeet went on: "The fact that I've made it has almost reignited the dreams of those parents from before. I think the times are now changing, where before we weren't given the opportunity, [but] now, being in the UK, this diverse platform that we have we're now given the opportunity to showcase what we can do."
Never Forget Where You Come From
While getting out there and going for it is something Karenjeet stressed greatly, she added it is equally as important to 'never forget where you come from.' She said: "Be proud of your heritage and culture. It's really important. It's what made you who you are, but it can also catapult you to anything you want to be in life."
Message for Young Women in Birmingham
Reflecting on the Girls of Brum event, organised with Sports Birmingham, Karenjeet attended at the Alexander Stadium, she had one message for the young women and girls of our city. "Never give up," she said. "I would say that you're stronger than you think you are. When it comes to a pathway like this, there's going to be so many challenges, there's going to be so many people saying that it's not possible [or] you cannot do this. But you have to have that mindset, be really tunnel focused and believe you can do this - and really back yourself."
