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All three are New Jersey residents and among 32 contestants on Season 2 of NBC's "The Titan Games," premiering Monday, May 25 at 8 p.m.
The three competitors representing New Jersey are Courtney Roselle, a professional CrossFit athlete and Cedar Grove native currently living in Jersey City; Shantal Athill, an Orange firefighter and former Rutgers track team member (a four-year letter winner, too), and Kareem Brinson, a DJ and fitness coach from Howell.
The show, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, breaks competitors into brackets by coasts: East, West and Central. The athletes face obstacles and square off in intense best-of-three competitions, with winners set to go up against a pro Titan (celebrities and athletes) in the ultimate physical challenge.
In the final round, the Titans face off against one another in the hope of becoming the last male and female competitor standing.
The show was filmed in Atlanta, GA, for the entire month of February.
Roselle, Athill and Brinson all agreed: Getting to know the other competitors was by far the best part of the experience.
"There were so many badass females, and males, that could compete the way they did," said Athill, a Montclair High School graduate and former track and field state champion.
"There were so many dope and amazing people with different backgrounds and stories to tell."
While fitness has played a part in both Athill and Roselle's lives for as long as they can remember, it's a relatively new lifestyle for Brinson.
The 35-year-old, who runs DJ company Total Xperience Entertainment, was 100 pounds heavier only seven years ago. His 28th birthday -- to be exact -- was the turning point for Brinson.
"When I started my weight loss journey, I tipped the scale at close to 300 pounds," he said. "Through hard work and dedication and the right support, I was able to loose over 100 pounds.
"I know there are others who may think it’s impossible to lose weight or who may be currently stuck in their situation with no motivation or idea of how to push forward.
"I want to encourage and inspire those people. I want to show them that they can be where I am if they persevere. I want to share my experience and make impact on everyone who connects with it."
Meeting The Rock himself was another highlight for the Jersey trio.
"He brings the show to life," said Roselle, who left her corporate job to become a personal trainer, motivational speaker and professional CrossFit athlete. "He is even more genuine and caring in person than he is on television."
The competitors were getting ready with the camera crew one day when Johnson unexpectedly walked in, said 29-year-old Athill.
"Everyone was star struck," she recalled. "He was super down to earth -- super nice and cool to talk to. That definitely made the experience easier and more worthwhile.
"You never know what to expect when you're meeting someone like that."
All but two obstacles on this season are new -- and they're all grueling, Roselle told Daily Voice. Filming didn't make it any easier.
"You had to be camera-ready every day, bring your A-game and be vulnerable," she said. "It was all very surreal. I wanted to hold onto every second. I knew in the blink of an eye it would be over."
Not only did "The Titan Games" show Roselle what she was capable of physically, but seeing how encouraging her competitors were of her taught her how to do the same for those she is up against in the future, she said.
"There are even more amazing people in this world that I need to match up to," Roselle said.
"They taught me to even be a bigger fan -- to make people rise up and be better human beings."
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