1N-COUNT (古罗马)角斗士 In the time of the Roman Empire, a gladiator was a man who had to fight against other men or wild animals in order to entertain an audience. (古罗马)角斗士
2N-COUNT 勇士,斗士(指勇敢的或表演危险动作的运动员或表演者) You can refer to a sports player or a performer as a gladiator in order to emphasize how brave or dangerous their actions are. 勇士,斗士(指勇敢的或表演危险动作的运动员或表演者) [journalism, emphasis]
As the gladiators rolled away from the starting gates, a gasp went up when the Scottish cyclist's left foot clicked out of the pedal.