Kriti Mehrotra
Ever since its debut in 2009, NBC’s ‘American Ninja Warrior’ has been underscoring the true meaning of athleticism and competition with the help of some really incredible obstacle courses. Therefore, of course, season 17 is no different, especially with Akbar Gbaja-Biamila and Matt Iseman serving as hosts while Zuri Hall handles the sideline commentary as well as interviews. However, there is a particular distinction this time around since the courses are all based on fan-favorite obstacles from the past to pay homage, all the while continuing to look towards the future.
ANW Season 17 Commences With Thrilling News and Views
With the return of not only iconic obstacles but fan-favorite competitors as new athletes also step forward in the hopes of making their mark, season 17 is definitely going to be an exciting watch. After all, for the first time in this sports entertainment reality show’s storied history, the National Finals will be all racing, meaning the qualifying athletes will go head-to-head for the grand prize. As if that’s not enough, there is a change in scenery because instead of California, the qualifying rounds actually begin in Las Vegas, Nevada, on arguably the world’s most challenging course.
It is Zuri Hall who takes us through the obstacle course, starting with a version of the Quad Steps that were a staple all the way back in season 1 and saw some bad as well as back-breaking wipeouts. Then there’s the Log Grip, which took out 20 competitors the last time it featured in 2011, followed by the much-feared balancing Block Run, since it has eliminated even the best of the best. Obstacle #4 is the popular Spin Cycle that is possibly in every Ninja gym across the country, and #5 is the aptly named Battering Ram, considering it proudly has one of the highest knockout rates.
As always, the course concludes with the 14½ feet Warped Wall with the buzzer on top, but if an athlete manages to fly through everything in less than a minute, they will have a chance at the Mega Wall. The instant reward for successfully climbing this 18½ feet daunting structure is an astounding $10,000, which is once again sponsored by Wells Fargo & Company’s Active Cash Credit Card. That’s when Akbar Gbaja-Biamila and Matt Iseman further reveal that throughout this season, they will also be counting down some of the show’s greatest moments, starting with the Wildest Wipouts.
The First Few Runs of Season 17 Are As Electrifying As Ever
The athlete to kick off season 17 is 40-year-old Texas Pastor and YouTuber Johnathan Morin, who last appeared in this sports entertainment reality series over a decade ago as a walk-on and qualified. He has a lot more training under his belt this time around, and with his sister, wife, as well as 2 young sons supporting him from home, he steps onto the course without any hesitation. But alas, the Log Grip (obstacle #2) proves to be too much for the 230 lb self-proclaimed “Ninja Pator,” resulting in him slipping and falling right into the water almost as soon as its second drop hits.
Then comes 18-year-old University of Colorado Student Leo Heuring with his robotic dog, who admittedly has severe Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Dyslexia, and Dysgraphia. The Houston, Texas, native was in the second grade when he was diagnosed with learning disabilities, and while they do affect him a lot, he found solace in the world of robotics in third grade. Since then, he has been dedicating himself to learning everything there is to know in this interdisciplinary field, all the while also pursuing his passion of becoming the “Dyslexic Ninja.”
Therefore, after 5 to 6 years of rigorous training, Leo makes his debut on the Ninja stage in a t-shirt perfectly describing who he is — it has “Dyslexic Ninja” in the front and “Words are Hard” on the back. He honestly flies through the initial obstacles to show the world that he won’t let anything hold him back, but the Battering Ram takes him out as he simply couldn’t maintain his grip. Nevertheless, he walks away with his head held high, just like the next 3 athletes — Teoma Zhigulin, Lisa Hair, and John Pyne, who fall on the Log Grip, the Log Grip, and the Block Run, respectively.
Whether a Newcomer or a Veteran, Nobody is Really Safe From a Wipeout
The next athletes for the night are 16-year-old high school students as well as best friends Milo Carpenter and Maddie Valentine from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who met because of their Ninja dreams. The former was merely 7 years old when she started training, just to meet the latter the very next year during a local competition — it was Maddie’s first, and she was over the moon about it. The two girls have been almost like sisters ever since, and they even decided upon their own Flying Ninja names at the tender age of 10; Milo was Flylio, whereas Maddie was Fladdie.
It is Milo who takes on the obstacle course first, living up to her once-Ninja name by flying through the Quad Steps and jumping on the Log Grip with pure determination in her young eyes. However, at the very last second, she fell into the water — she had one leg on the platform, but she couldn’t stick the landing, resulting in her getting soaked at just obstacle #2 in her debut season. Then, before Maddie steps onto the stage for her run, 33-year-old fan-favorite Tiana “Sweet T” Webberley from Santa Clarita, California, takes her opportunity after not competing in the past couple of seasons.
As a professional stuntwoman, Tiana had actually broken her ankle as well as her collarbone within months of each other, so she was forced to take some time away so as to properly recover. The former pole vaulter had first shown up back in season 7, so her appearance this time marks her 9th, and she is hungry to make it all the way to the end since she has faced most of these obstacles before. In fact, the Battering Ram is what had eliminated her in season 9, only for it to be her downfall this time, too. As for Maddie, she inadvertently follows in Milo’s footsteps and also falls from the Log Grip.
The Next Few Runs Really Prove That Anything Can Happen
After Maddie’s run, the hosts take us on a journey through time to give us the most memorable and Wildest Wipeouts throughout the show’s history, starting with James Bartholomew at #5. Back in 2018, he had a back-bending fall after failing the Propeller obstacle — he couldn’t grab the rope after swinging from the propeller, so his back hit the pad before he even touched the water. Then, moving on, we are introduced to athlete #9 of the night, a 15-year-old high school student as well as a passionate fitness enthusiast and water sports lover, Bray Weinacker from Auburndale, Florida.
Hailing from a family of world-class wakeboarders, Bray himself is zealous about the sport despite being legally blind in one eye owing to a bungee jumping accident when he was just 5 years old. This freak mishap actually occurred two years after he had decided he wanted to be on ‘American Ninja Warrior’ one day, but he didn’t let it stop him, even though it arguably affects every aspect of his play. Thus, following years of training, he finally makes his rookie run, just to quickly prove that while his eyesight may be a disadvantage, his height is most definitely not — standing at 6’4,” he flies through the obstacles.
In fact, Bray becomes the first competitor of the night to finish the course and press the buzzer at 55.23 seconds, which also results in him getting a shot at the Mega Wall for an instant $10,000. But alas, he couldn’t conquer the 18½ feet structure, and so the episode continues with him just standing proud alongside his loving as well as supportive family, knowing that he has qualified to return for the semi-finals. Then comes Cooper Cummings from Washington, with his winning cheese wheel from the Gloucester Cheese Chase in England, yet this former Western Washington University athlete falls on the Spin Cycle.
There Are a Lot More Falls As the First Qualifier Continues
Athlete #11 of the night is veteran DC Banks from Pinellas Park, Florida, who is a former college player as well as a professional personal trainer, but he gets wiped out by the Battering Ram. He is followed by Ninja fan-favorite and fellow personal trainer Jonathan Bange, but this 35-year-old Texan fails at the first obstacle itself after trying to skip the third step in the hopes of having a really quick run. This segways into the Wildest Wipeout since the 4th place is awarded to Natalia Klev-Wisniewska from Chicago, Illinois, because she was KO-ed by the Quad Steps in season 6 (2014) in Denver, Colorado.
19-year-old Cicilia Bogle from Miami, Florida, a professional Trapeze artist in The High Flying Pages touring troupe, is the next to step onto the Qualifier stage in the hopes of making a name for herself. Her coach is Ninja veteran Flip Rodriguez, so there are a lot of expectations from this 5’2″ 120 lb contestant to do wonders, which is precisely what she does, even though she falls from the Battering Ram. Then comes 16-year-old Cohen “Fishing Ninja” Smith from Alabama as well as hard-working mom of 2 Kristen Brickner from Louisiana, both of whom are eliminated by the Log Grip.
Nyjle Henry is also eliminated not long after, yet unlike the former participants, this 39-year-old 190-lb family man and US Navy shipmaker from Newport News, Virginia, fell during the Block Run. Since this was a balance obstacle-related fail, hosts Akbar Gbaja-Biamila and Matt Iseman subsequently take us to yet another Wildest Wipeout recap, with spot #3 being claimed by the still talked about Scott Willson. After all, during the Los Angeles Final for season 10 back in 2018, the renowned Spinning Bridge took him out in such a manner that it was not only back-bending but also jaw-dropping.
Following a Lot of Wipeouts, There Are Some Incredible Finishes
The next to take on this Las Vegas Qualifier is 4-time Ninja Veteran and professional eBay Reseller Owen Dyer from Arkansas, who wasn’t sure he would ever come back, but did so for his brother. The 19-year-old had actually fallen into a deep depression following his high school graduation and bad run at a Ninja course, but his younger brother Hayes, as well as fans, really helped him every step of the way. Hence, with Hayes being determined to be a Ninja as soon as he becomes eligible at the age of 15 next year, he managed to convince his brother to keep competing so that they can one day do so together.
Owen does have a shaky start since he doesn’t land properly from the Log Grip and second-guesses himself before the Block Run, but then he gains momentum and flies through the rest of the course. In fact, he completes it by pressing the buzzer at 1 minute 25.78 seconds, following which he calls 14-year-old Hayes to climb up the Warped Wall too, which the just over 5′ teenager does without any help. Then, 16-year-old Joseph Rouse from Fayetteville, Arkansas, also crushes the course by finishing it at 1:46.71, with 19-year-old Notre Dame student Austin Baron soon following suit with a time of 1:47.95.
William “The Spartan” Brown from Florida, who was a staple throughout seasons 4 to 7 before taking a 10-year hiatus, then makes his return run at the age of 39, and he pressed the buzzer at 2:31.80. The next athlete is another Ninja vete ran, the “pectacular” Eddy Stewart from Hueytown, Alabama, who earned his nickname as the Double Double Ninja through a signature involving his pecs. This 41-year-old firefighter, standing at 5’10 and weighing 200 lbs, returned after many seasons apart owing to personal reasons, just to fall on the same obstacle he had over 6 years ago in season 11 — the Block Run.
There Are Some Unforgettable and Surprising Runs in Qualifier 1
Keeping up with the firefighter theme, the next contestant to take on the course is arguably the most memorable Ninja veteran in the show’s history, Deputy Fire Marshal Gary Weiland from Denton, Texas. That’s because the now 44-year-old has a prosthetic leg — he had lost his left leg in 2018 from a complication during a knee replacement, but he has never let it slow him down in any way. In fact, he recently even ran the Boston Marathon before returning to the Ninja stage. He gets knocked down by the Battering Ram, but he still walks away with a smile because this is the first time he has finished 4 obstacles.
Four different Texans follow Gary, with the first being 50-year-old Rick Hinnant, who actually runs a clothing business with Shark Tank’s Barbara Corcoran, but he falls from the Log Grip. Then there’s 20-year-old artist Isaiah Wakeham from Houston, whose 6’1″ height definitely helps him crush the initial few obstacles, that is, until his grip slips while he is close to conquering the Battering Ram. He is trailed by fellow Houston native Grant Kiningham, a 3-time Ninja veteran who professionally serves as a unique chain-saw-based ice sculptor, and he breezes through every obstacle to press the buzzer at 1:36.65.
Also from Houston, 31-year-old Daniel “Kingdom Ninja” Gil is next, and this 10-year Ninja Veteran on the cusp of his 30th buzzer dedicates his runs this season to his 7-month-old daughter, Isla Rose. He has been to stage 4 of this entire journey twice, was the last man standing 5 years ago, and he has finished qualifying courses 8 out of 9 times, so he hopes to do the same this time, too. However, no one could have ever imagined that with the support of his loving wife as well as newborn daughter, he’d actually nail the course in just 51.89 seconds – he couldn’t do the Mega Wall, but this was truly enough for him.
Couples and Families Compete Against One Another Too
After an incredible run by Daniel, 17-year-old Emma Pereyra from Bradenton, Florida, comes on for the 3rd straight season, and she has her best run ever before sadly getting knocked by the Battering Ram. She is followed by fellow Floridian, 22-year-old Luke Dillon from Orlando, who actually qualifies for the semi-finals for an astounding 4th time straight away by finishing the course at 1 minute 05.59 seconds. He subsequently gets down on one knee and proposes, not to his kind, compassionate, long-time girlfriend Avery Glantz, who is the next to take the stage at the age of 19, but to the buzzer.
As a passionate fitness enthusiast as well as a Kinesiology student at the University of Central Florida, Avery knows more than a thing or two about the significance of balance and strength. In fact, she had even designed a female-centric obstacle a few years ago to train harder for her Ninja dreams, unaware it would soon end up being a course at one of the World Final Competitions. Coming to her season 17 run, she falls from the Battering Ram, but she still walks away with a place in the semi-finals thanks to her time because she reached this dangerous obstacle after breezing through the first four.
33-year-old Ninja veteran and Mold Inspector Darion Bennett from North Brunswick, New Jersey, runs next with the voice of his 7-year-old son telling him not to fall in the water in his head. He had never actually made it past the 5th obstacle before, so he is determined to do so this time in his 3rd season, and he did it before going on to press the buzzer at 2 minutes 25.99 seconds. 61-year-old Mark Pressley from Cary, North Carolina, and his 4-time Ninja Veteran daughter Megan Dudway from Boynton Beach, Florida, take to the stage next, only for both of them to fall from the Block Run at the last second.
While Some Veterans Fail, Others Thrive
It was back when Flip Rodriguez was merely 21 years old that he made his Ninja debut all the way back in season 3, and he has never missed a season since, making him a 15-time veteran. Now, at the age of 35, this professional Stunt Man and Ninja Coach from Boynton Beach, Florida, truly is a fan-favorite, especially since he holds the record of being 3rd in all-time career buzzers. But alas, in season 17, for the first time ever, he simply has a disappointing run as he falls at obstacle #3, meaning he couldn’t even make it past the Block Run to even think of possibly qualifying for the semi-finals based on time and/or distance.
Then comes 16-year-old high school sophomore from McKinney, Texas, Ryan Cooper, who himself admits that he is the smallest competitor wherever he goes since he is just 5’1 and 92 lbs. Nevertheless, he doesn’t let it slow him down one bit, resulting in him being a thriving contestant in seasons 2 and 3 of ‘American Ninja Warrior Jr.,’ which led to him making his debut in this regular season. Unfortunately, though, the teen couldn’t handle the sudden drops involved in obstacle #2, meaning he is eliminated by the Log Grip – yet, his cheers from the water to show he is still proud will have fans remember him for a long time.
Hosts Akbar and Matt then take us back to the Wildest Wipeouts countdown to remind us that not every fall ends in water, with spot #2 going to Tim Schnee’s out-of-course fall in 2017. Renowned 6-time Ninja veteran David Bergstrom-Wright subsequently takes on the course to prove his mettle, only to quickly conquer the entire course without any real issues in 1 minute 9.44 seconds. His wife, 27-year-old Caitlyn, who has qualified for the semi-finals in every season she has competed, is next, and although she falls from the Battering Ram, her fast time still enables her to move on by putting her in the top 20 of the night.
Qualifier 1 Concludes With a Couple More Finishes
Athlete #35 of the night is 19-year-old Entrepreneur Elijah “Boss” Browning from Thompson’s Station, Tennessee, whose appearance in this round marks this as his 5th season on the show. He has admittedly been dealing with some personal issues in the past couple of years because while he was thriving as a Ninja, his affectionate, caring, loving mother was battling breast cancer. In fact, she told him she had a surgery 5 days after he finished in the Top 10 in season 16, and now, with the help of the operation as well as chemo, she is in remission. It is for her that he ran this season, completing the course in 50.75 seconds.
Elijah thus has a shot at the Mega Wall, but he misses it by a few feet, following which he simply walks into the arms of his mother with a massive smile on his face because he is in the semi-finals with the fastest time of the night. He is followed by 72-year-old former actress Ginny MacColl from Southport, North Carolina, who is the eldest competitor this season and had made history last year as the eldest too. She didn’t even start athletics until she was in her 60s, but she has made it all the way to the ‘American Ninja Warrior’ stage, where she once again makes history by being the oldest to complete an obstacle before falling from the Log Grip.
The hosts then reveal that the #1 spot in the Wildest Wipeout line-up goes to Mike Bernardo, whose dismount from the Rumbling Dice in season 5 in Baltimore had him land on his face before falling. Last but not least, Ginny’s daughter, Ninja veteran, and professional Stunt Woman from the ‘Wonder Woman’ films, Jessie Graff, takes on the first qualifier at the age of 40. She had first started competing 12 years ago, so it is no surprise that this 7-time National Finalist conquers this course by hitting the buzzer at 2:47.47. Therefore, the final 20 to move on from this round are Elijah, Daniel, Bray, Luke David, Owen, Grant, Joseph, Austin, Darion, William, Jessie, DC, Emma, Isiah, Leo, Caitlyn, Cicilia, Avery, and “Sweet T” Tiana.
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