I’m A Celebrity 2016 star Sam Quek – 10 things you didn’t know about the Olympic gold medallist
OLYMPIC hockey player Sam Quek has swapped the AstroTurf for the jungle as she takes part in the latest series of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here.
Having helped lead Team GB to Gold in Rio, she will definitely be up for a challenge.
The Liverpool-born 28-year-old is spending her hard-earned post Olympic time off tackling Bush Tucker Trials and screaming for her life in the Aussie bush.
She's afraid of cockroaches and spiders, so was hoping the public would go easy on her.
She's faced up to the challenges though, and enjoyed a well earned rest in the Jungle Arms. She got a little carried away after a couple of drinks and managed to split her trousers while dancing!
Hockey Champ
She got her 50th cap for Team GB during the Rio Olympics and has more than 125 combined for both England and Team GB.
She first captained the England team in 2014 and managed to compete in every game of the Champions Trophy tournament despite breaking two of her ribs during the first game.
She has always been sporty and even earned a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science from Leeds Metropolitan University.
Pre-match rituals
Before she heads out on the hockey pitch, Sam prepares by sitting in silence.
However, when getting ready for a night out she loves to blast out some Beyonce hits.
Happy in love
Despite attending the same Grammar school as boyfriend Tom Mairs, it wasn't until a few years later that she met her beau in a bar in Liverpool.
They have been together for three years.
Tom owns his own property firm in Liverpool and was the so-called Secret Millionaire on a hit TV series in 2010.
TV star
This won't be Sam's first foray into television, in May 2016 she appeared with her boyfriend on BBC One's daytime antiques-based game show For What It's Worth.
Scherzy fan
Is someone were to play her in a movie, she’d want it to be Nicole Scherzinger.
She also has admitted Nicole would be her dream camp mate in the jungle
Superstitious
Sam's lucky number is 13 and that is the number she sports on the back of her hockey jersey.
She has said that coincidentally most of the houses she's lived in have also been number 13.
Outspoken star
Sam is outspoken that girls can be both sexy and sporty and is angry that women's sports don’t get as much TV coverage
In an interview with she said: “The general feedback I’ve had since coming home is that there isn’t enough women’s sports coverage and that it isn’t cool to like sport as a young girl[...]
“You don’t have to choose between being a ‘girly girl’ or being a ‘sporty girl’.
"There’s a misconception in girls that sportswomen are seen as muscley, masculine, smell of sweat and are uncool."
As well as being an Olympic sportstar, Sam is a swimwear model - proving she can be both sexy and sporty.
Not a KK fan
She doesn’t think reality star Kim Kardashian is a good role model for young girls.
Sam added: “I wouldn’t want my future daughter to be inspired to be like her."I wouldn’t want my future daughter to be inspired to be like her.
“She’s not the type of positive role models that we need.
"Why can’t we be known as stars and for our personality as well as our performance?”
Charity work
Sam is an ambassador for Well Child charity, a national charity for sick children.
Of her appointment, she said: "The work WellChild does is so important to not only supporting children with exceptional health needs across the UK, but also their families and carers.
"I very much look forward to getting more involved in the future.”
Puppy love
She has two tiny dogs called Max and Ollie.
She often posts cute snaps of the pair on social media.
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