American Ninja Warrior Season 17 Episode 5 Recap: Qualifiers 5

With the Qualifiers heading into full swing, the fifth night of season 17 of NBC’s ‘American Ninja Warrior’ is buzzing with energy. Once again, the special collaboration with the ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ team takes over one of the obstacles. The fifth Qualifier returns with Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbaja-Biamila on the podium and Zuri Hall on the sidelines. From cowboy-hat-wearing competitors to warrior moms and wide-eyed rookies stepping up for their first-ever run, the course sees a breathtaking blend of backgrounds and skills. To make it more exciting, the hosts count down some of the most memorable start-line moments in the show’s history.

As the Course Opens, Familiar Faces and Rising Stars Face Fierce Obstacles

The fifth Qualifier night commences with the challenging obstacles: #1 Quad Steps, #2 ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ inspired Fly Wheels, #3 Log Runner, #4 Spin Cycle, and #5 Ferris Wheel. Just like every other game, if the athletes hit the buzzer on the 14½ feet Warped Wall in under a minute, they can go for the 18½ feet Mega Wall and win the $10,000 Wells Fargo & Company’s Active Cash Credit Card. The game begins with 29-year-old nurse Mady Howard from St. George, Utah. This is her sixth season, and she is back with her three-year-old handsome son, Beckham. She reveals how he always helps her in the kitchen, and the mother-son duo often attends gymnastics class together. Mady effortlessly gets through the first five obstacles and presses the buzzer at 03:32.95, making it the second one of her ninja career.

Mady is also only the second mother to ever press a buzzer in the show’s history. The second athlete to take the stage is 38-year-old photographer and proud dad Josh Ferguson from Utah. Although he reached the semifinals two years ago, he falls on the Log Runner this time around. Right after him is the Castle Rock, Colorado teenager, Hans Hertz. The rookie flies through the course to press the second buzzer of the night at 01:11.59. The Marine Corps Pilot from Camp Pendleton in Southern California, Landon Nagao, follows suit. However, he falls into the water on the Ferris Wheel. The fifth player to run the course is a 57-year-old Sales Manager and former Army veteran, Bob Wormus, from Fullerton, California. In his confessional, he reveals how he had stopped exercising completely when he got into the military.

This led to Bob becoming 40 lbs overweight, and he shockingly learned from his doctor that his life may be ending. Following that, he didn’t waste any time joining the gym and immersing himself in the ninja activities. However, his run is cut short for the night as he fails to overcome the Fly Wheels. The next athlete for the night is 38-year-old Lance Pekus from Salmon, Idaho, who has a 1000-acre cattle ranch. He began training in 2012 in his handmade course on the ranch despite multiple ninja gyms around the country. He stuck to his lone training before he finally got his training partners, Dante Williams and Austin Dupuis. They are also going to run the course later in the night. Lance has his pilot’s license and is also a forest ranger. However, history repeats as he falls on the Log Runner, just like the 2016 Qualifiers.

As More Ninjas Take the Stage, Some Incredible Runs Keep the Energy Alive

Finally, the hosts announce the list’s fifth most memorable start-line moments. It is Anthony Potter, AKA Archery Ninja, who always manages to hit the bull’s eye with the most memorable one in the 2024 Qualifiers. The seventh athlete to take the stage is Aly Larson from Salt Lake City, Utah, an archer who can shoot with her feet. However, the 20-year-old makes her exit on the Fly Wheels. 21-year-old Zarko Sinha from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, soon follows her, but he falls into the water on the Log Runner. Following him is 24-year-old Autodetailer Clayton Reeves from Ames, Iowa. It is revealed that he was adopted by his parents at just 4 years of age from Romania. In his confessional, he opens up about how he was born with the name Claudia and was raised as a female for 16 years before he came out.

Clayton now represents himself as a male to society and has faced his challenges as a transgender person at school and in Iowa. However, he has pushed through and used his voice to speak up about his journey on YouTube. As he began his official transition, he had not told anyone. However, now his struggle has built self-love, and he is running not just for himself but also for the transgender community. At just 5 feet in height, he overcomes the first four obstacles but falls on the fifth one. Right after is Danter Williams, who is a butcher. Unfortunately, he bids goodbye to the course as he falls on the Spin Cycle. Fish and Game Warden Austin Dupuis follows suit but ends up falling into the water on the Ferris Wheel. The next athlete is a 16-year-old high school student from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Andreas Johnson.

Growing up, Andreas was diagnosed with Growth Hormone Deficiency, which restricted his height, leading to self-esteem issues and anxiety. That was when he turned to art for solace. It is his passion, with a focus on realism. He starts his run by gifting Matt and Akbar their portrait, which took him 25 hours each to make. The fan of ‘ANW’ has been training since the day he first saw the show. The rookie succeeds in pressing the buzzer at 01:59.79 in his debut. The hosts then announce the 4th in the list of the night’s countdown. It is from Season 11 when Grand McCartney got funky with the music legend Bootsy Collins. The game begins once again with 72-year-old John Loobey, from Bristol, Tennessee, the oldest competitor of the night. Despite being the oldest athlete to overcome the first two obstacles, he falls on the third one.

The Night Continues With Both Inspiring Debuts and Record-Breaking Runs

Next up is 61-year-old Glenn Davis from Flowery Branch, Georgia. The father of three is an NCAA gymnast from the early 80s and has been a Gymnastics Coach for 35 years before he became a ninja and opened Atlanta’s first ninja gym. He succeeded in climbing the Warped Wall in season 6 at 51 years of age. He passes four obstacles without any hassle but falls into the water on the Ferris Wheel, just like in the 2019 Qualifiers. Right after, the high school student Emily Keener, from Arvada, Colorado, takes the stage. She had participated in the 2023 and 2024 Qualifiers and even went to the semifinals, but her run this time ends early as she fails to overcome the Quad Steps. Following her is 27-year-old Clarisa Morris from St. George, Utah, who had made it to the national final two years ago. However, Clarisa’s journey is cut short by the Log Runner.

The 16th athlete is a Firefighter, Davyon Hancox, from Los Angeles, California. He has competed in the show three times, with his last one being five years ago. Despite overcoming the first four obstacles, he falls short on the Ferris Wheel. Zuri Hall then introduces the next competitor of the night- 17-year-old Taylor Greene from Broomfield, Colorado. She has hit three buzzers in two seasons and has been the top woman in seasons 15 and 16. She was just 10 years old when she became a viral ninja sensation, with the video having over 100 million views. Taylor flies through the course and presses the buzzer at 02:29.31, becoming the youngest woman ever to get three Qualifier Buzzers in a row. Then comes the flashback to the 3rd most memorable start-line moment in the show’s history, which the hosts announce to be from Daniel Eiskant.

Daniel had brought his college A cappella group in Season 11 (2019) to sing off at the start line. The game resumes as Danielle Blanchard from Aliso Viejo, California, takes the stage. She succeeds in overcoming the first two obstacles but falls into the water on the Log Runner. The next contestant is Evan White from Hudson, Wisconsin. The 17-year-old successfully overcomes all the barriers before pressing his debut buzzer at 01:16.65. The night’s 20th athlete is Max Feinberg from Castle Rock, Colorado. The University of Denver student is raising awareness for Breast Cancer with his run on the course. The ninja flies through the course and presses the buzzer at 01:22.19. Right after her is the 40-year-old artist Jenedy Paige from Pleasant Grove, Utah.

Powerful Narratives of Loss and Redemption Highlight the Athletes’ Resilience

Jenedy faced a grave loss on September 26, 2011, when her three-year-old son, Victory, passed away in an accident. In her confessional, she expressed how she channeled her grief into her art, which dulled the sorrow a little. Hence, she turned to ninja training, symbolizing overcoming obstacles over and over again. Unfortunately, despite her incredible start, she falls into the water on the Log Runner. The next athlete is a 40-year-old Catholic Church Worker, Sean Bryan, from Concord, California. The “playful ninja” was welcomed in Team USA in the ‘Sasuke Ninja Warrior’ in Japan to compete against the best ninjas in the world. He was also invited to be a part of Team USA for the Sasuke World Cup, along with his fellow ninja stars. He also owns a ninja gym.

Sean maintains momentum in his 10th season and hits the buzzer at 56.55 seconds, becoming the fastest ninja for the night. He gets the opportunity to climb the Mega Wall, but he fails to do so. The next competitor is Arnold Hernandez from Los Angeles, California. A decade ago, when there weren’t many ninja gyms, he started his own in his backyard, which has now become one of Southern California’s top ninja training centers. The 33-year-old sails through the first two obstacles but falls on the Log Runner. Next up is Alex Nye, who is the ninja leader in San Diego, California. His tree-lined backyard ninja course is known as the Jungle. The 33-year-old photographer flies through all the obstacles and presses the buzzer at 01:44.81. 41-year-old Brian Kretsch from Alamo, California, is the next athlete to take the stage.

Brian had competed in the very first season 17 years ago. His experience pays off as he overcomes all the obstacles and presses the buzzer at 03:21.64, making it his first buzzer in the last five years. The 26th athlete is a 38-year-old gym owner and mother, Zhanique Lovett, from Visalia, California. In her confessional, she discloses how she had a tumultuous childhood because of her mother being a drug addict and her experimentation with alcohol and drugs. However, she decided to turn her life around when her daughter was born. She graduated from college and is now a business owner with her own gym and nutrition bars. In season 9, she had managed to reach the Warped Wall but failed to climb it. However, this time, Zhanique changes the history as she presses the buzzer at 03:58.76, becoming the third mother to do so in the show’s history.

Veteran Comebacks and Rookie Stumbles Take the Spotlight of the Night

The hosts then announce the 2nd in the list of memorable start-line moments. It is from Lane Saling, a former Kickoff specialist for the University of Arkansas football team. He had kicked off his run by kicking the football up to 40 yards, landing it in the water. 36-year-old high school football coach Daniel Osmer next takes to the course but is taken out by the Log Runner. Right after him is 15-year-old Underwater Hockey Athlete Luke Filar from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. However, the high school student falls right into the water on the Log Runner. Nicholas Coolridge is a Social Media Influencer and Acrobat who is back to run the course after seven years. He has been one of the top competitors from seasons 7 to 10 and showcases his skills again by pressing the buzzer at 03:04.43. The 30th athlete of the night is 47-year-old Brian Doom.

Brian was a Major in the Air Force when he first competed on the show. He has competed in seasons 8, 9, and 10, and on a professional level, he is now a Colonel who flies the KC-46, the Air Force’s newest tanker. He always keeps himself in training and wants to hit the buzzer for the night. However, his dreams are shattered when he falls on the Log Runner. 16-year-old Payton Myler from Draper, Utah, is the next competitor to run the course. She is an influencer and a YouTube star from her and her siblings’ channel, the Ninja Kidz TV. Her brothers, Ashton and Paxton, have already run the course on the second Qualifier night of the season. It is now her turn, and her brother, Bryton, to do the same. With her is her boyfriend, Luke Beckstand. She was 9 years old when she and her brothers went to the course at his house to train, where they first met.

Payton and Luke have gone to prom together and have been dating for seven months. The former starts off strong, but her run is cut short by the Log Runner. Her brother, Bryton Myler, takes the stage next. The 20-year-old with a fifth-degree black belt also follows in Payton’s footsteps and falls on the Log Runner. Next up is her boyfriend, Luke, who is a high school student from St. George, Utah. He made his ninja debut last year, where he advanced to Stage 2. His brother Kai Beckstrand is also one of the top and fastest ninja competitors, and he is going to compete later in the night. He flies through the course effortlessly and presses the buzzer at just 54.92 seconds, making him the fastest one of the night. Despite his chance to climb the Mega Wall, he unfortunately fails to do so.

The Night Closes With Emotional Victories and an Astounding Mega Wall Triumph

The next athlete is the 24-year-old Fashion Designer Brittney Durant from Walnut Creek, California. She is the final female competitor of the night and has been a top ninja for years. Since the gym she trains in mainly focuses on parkour, she got into the activity quickly. Moreover, she has just come from the World Chase Tag Championship in France. Brittney shows her skills by overcoming the first four obstacles, but falls short on the Ferris Wheel. As Zuri approaches her for an interview, she reveals how, in the end, her hands had given up, and she slipped in the last moments. To her delight, Zuri informs her that she is moving on to the semifinals due to the speed with which she reached the final obstacle.

The hosts then finally announce the top start-line memories on the list. It is none other than a series of events involving the ninja Jake Murray. From rolling up on a Segway to his famous entrance in season 11, he has always made grand entrances. Right after, Carter Ray takes the course. The Tree Trimmer from Northern California had fallen down early in the last season. However, he turns it around this time by pressing the buzzer at 01:59.81. Zuri then introduces the final contestant of the night, Kai Beckstrand from St. George, Utah. The 19-year-old Firefighter is also an ‘ANW Junior’ champion, who reached Stage 4 last year. He is considered one of the fastest ninjas on the planet.

Kai made a home gym room for his training with the $10,000 he won the previous year. He succeeds in flying through the course and pressing the buzzer at just 52.90 seconds, making him the fastest of the night. He takes his chance at the Mega Wall and successfully climbs it, earning the $10,000 cash credit card once again. Upon asking, Kai reveals that he still hasn’t decided what he wants to do with the money. By the end of the night, the players who have advanced to the semifinals are Kai, Luke, Sean, Hans, Evan, Max, Alex, Andreas, Carter, Taylor, Nicholas, Brian, Mady, Zhanique, Davyon, Brittney, Glenn, Landon, Clayton, and Daniella.