LEILA McKINNON: For five years...
our legends have been chasing the holy grail.
Mount Midoriyama is the be-all and end-all.
It's just the pinnacle of Ninja.
Yet only one has ever conquered it.
You've gotta aim high. You've gotta aim for the stars.
I'm here to climb Midoriyama.
As Australia's greatest sporting quest continues...
This is what I've dreamed of.
..a new generation of Ninjas...
Being one of the eight teens to make the grand final tonight,
I'm so proud of myself.
..have proven the summit is within reach again.
Being this close to Mount Midoriyama,
I want to prove to Australia that 16-year-olds can go all the way.
After four of the fastest heats...
So much power. What an athlete!
..and nail-biting knock-outs in the semis...
Oh, it's a photo finish!
Oh, my god! Oh!
..only the best of the best remain.
I'm the only mum to ever make it to a grand final.
The time has arrived...
Tonight's the night. Time to shine. Time to put it down on the line.
..to face the mountain...
Eight years of my life dedicated to this.
A lot of pain, a lot of sacrifice.
..as the grand-final stage is set.
I'm setting my sights high, to win this whole season.
It's now a race against each other...
I'm versing some of the best people in Australia.
..as well as the clock.
Go! Go! Come on! The clock is ticking!
And anything less than perfection ends the dream.
Oh, no! No! This has not happened!
Over two massive nights,
three gruelling stages...
If you don't respect the course, you're finished.
..lead our Ninjas to the holy grail...
Mount Midoriyama.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE CONTINUE)
We are at the magnificent Sydney Olympic Park
for the season six grand final of Australian Ninja Warrior.
I'm Jim Courier. And I'm Leila McKinnon.
Out of 150 Ninjas from all over the country,
only the best of the best remain.
These 36 Ninjas all have a shot at $200,000
but over the next two massive nights of Ninja action,
they will be tested like never before.
At least half will be eliminated tonight
as they set foot on the perilous path to Mount Midoriyama.
Getting there is more than half the battle.
If a Ninja conquers the summit...
they'll be crowned Australian Ninja Warrior for 2022
and take home that life-changing prize of $200,000.
Just to get to the foot of the mountain,
our Ninjas will need to complete not one but three grand-final stages,
flawlessly.
Fail even one obstacle across any of the three stages
and the Ninjas say 'sayonara' to Mount Midoriyama.
Tonight, our grand finalists face stage 1,
where they will be racing side-by-side.
The Ninjas have been matched based on their semi-final placings
and I gotta say, they've created some unbelievable match-ups.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
I can't wait to see what happens. Me too, Jim.
But it wouldn't be a grand final
if we didn't crank the pressure up even more.
The Ninjas will be racing side-by-side
and have to knock out their opponent
by hitting the buzzer first.
Oh! Oh!
But that alone doesn't guarantee you a spot in stage 2 -
to get there, Ninjas must be flawless and finish the course.
There is a catch, though, Leila -
they have to do it all in just 5 minutes and 10 seconds.
This is the most intense and most brutal grand final we've ever seen.
So, for the first time in Ninja Warrior grand-final history,
it's Ninja vs Ninja...
vs the clock.
This stage 1 grand-final course
is insane.
The course has been completely changed
and features some brand-new obstacles.
The sprinting steps are first
and can take out Ninjas early.
Obstacle 2 is the launchpad to eagle's claw.
Speed off the ramp will help with the 2.8-metre jump
and the generation of momentum.
The cat grab is up next.
Ninjas have to cross three walls,
which requires perfect balance and precision.
Obstacle 4 is the salmon ladder to bar hop.
On the bar hop, control is the key.
(SPECTATORS HOWL)
Obstacle 5 is the brand-new spring forward.
Ninjas have to cross four spring-loaded bars
and nail their laches,
because the bounce of these bars
can easily throw off the Ninjas' timing.
The warped wall is next and whoever hits the buzzer first
will keep on going in a race against the clock.
For the other Ninja, their season is over.
But the victor can't rest,
because next is another brand-new obstacle -
the lethal lightning bolts.
Ninjas use free-floating bars to attempt a tricky 2.5-metre lache.
The bars aren't fixed and can rotate when they catch it,
causing their hands to peel off.
Obstacle 8 is the triple corkscrew
and with the clock still counting down,
Ninjas need to generate enough explosive power
to lache up to the corkscrews.
The final obstacle is the underwater escape.
Three weighted doors block the path to the buzzer
and the Ninja's lungs will be screaming for air.
If they can beat the 5:10 on the clock,
they're going to grand-final stage 2.
If they don't, they're going home.
(SIREN BLARES)
There is no doubt that the path to Mount Midoriyama is hard
and for the first time ever,
eight teens are about to step up to the challenge.
They've earned the right to be here
and they're ready to write some Australian Ninja Warrior history.
And as befits a grand final,
there is a huge crowd packing the stands tonight.
Friends, family, fans, fellow Ninjas,
all turning up the volume to the max.
OK. Let's not delay a second longer.
Australia, it's time for our first Ninja-vs-Ninja showdown
for the season six Australian Ninja Warrior grand final.
(SPECTATORS CHEER)
And on course now, a former winner in his fifth grand final.
He's the carpenter whose Ninja career looked gone
after he broke his back
but he's well and truly bounced back and better than ever.
It's Fred Dorrington!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
And he's taking on a first-time Ninja who's been a new sensation.
This season's surprise packet has put his home town on the map.
From Karoonda in South Australia, it's farmer Simon Martin.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
I want this year to be my year.
From someone who broke their back a year ago
and could possibly not walk,
I'm feeling the best I've ever felt in my life
and I'm looking around thinking,
I've got the chance to make a huge impact
with everything I've gone through.
LEILA: Yes! Yes!
Unbelievable.
REBECCA MADDERN: The performance of the night goes to Fred Dorrington,
who was the Ninja to make it the furthest
on this gruelling grand-final course.
Furthest Fastest isn't Australian Ninja Warrior,
so I'm still hitting that goal.
I wanted it ever since season one
and I'm just gonna go 100%, no regrets.
SIMON MARTIN: Some of the Ninjas I train with
reckon I've got a pretty good handshake, so...
Farmer Arms is here to shake things up.
JIM: The Farmer's Arms gonna give it another go. Does he get it?
LEILA: He's up! He's up! Yes, he does!
SIMON: It was my first-ever buzzer,
so that was a... seemed like an amazing moment.
He's through to the grand final!
Tonight I'm up against Fred Dorrington.
He's obviously a veteran Ninja
and he's won Australian Ninja Warrior,
so if I want to make a stand,
tonight's the night to do it.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
Fred Dorrington - he is a Ninja legend.
I reckon he's actually better since he broke his back last year.
But I tell you what -
he's up against a surprise package this year.
Simon Martin, Farmer Arms.
I'm gonna be honest - no-one thought he'd get this far
but he is bloody good!
JIM: We've got Simon's family on the big screen.
Yeah, Fred's got support too.
There's Eddie Burrill, a fellow grand-finalist,
running later tonight,
and Fred's friend Kate.
5 minutes, 10 seconds on the clock.
They're out if they fail on any obstacle
and if they fail to beat their opponent
and if they fail to beat the clock.
This grand-final pressure is intense.
(START BELL DINGS) Here they go.
Both taking care of obstacle 1 with ease.
Up to the launchpad to eagle.
How are they gonna do? Oh, yes!
Oh!
Simon almost came down but he's going toe-to-toe right now with Fred
and a little bit of a lead - oh, my goodness, Leila!
Yeah, isn't it incredible to see Simon nailing this?
This puts the pressure on Fred. You've got this, Fred!
Simon makes his second...
Oh! Fred Dorrington's down!
The salmon ladder!
(SPECTATORS GROAN)
Splashdown!
Oh, wow!
Fred Dorrington.
Freddie's out. That is...
Oh! Oh, he's gutted.
He is gutted, Fred Dorrington.
Eddie Burrill can't believe it.
But the 41-year-old Farmer's Arms continues now
in his battle against the clock.
See if he can find his way into grand final 2.
Now lache - yes!
Simon's looking strong and in control.
Come on, come on, come on... Yes!
Fred is understandably distraught.
Yes, Simon Martin now has to finish five obstacles
in the 4 remaining minutes.
He's the first Ninja to take on spring forward.
Be interesting to see how the Ninjas tackle it.
Yes!
If they use the bounce in the spring to propel themselves forward,
they should be able to fly through this obstacle
but if their timing is off, it could stifle the lache.
But the 41-year-old farmer doesn't look troubled at all.
He is heading for the wall.
He made it up the wall in the semi-finals
when he beat Jungle Jimmy Burrow.
Come on, Dad! Alright, kids. Cheer on Dad.
He's gotta beat the wall!
Can he make it? Up, up, up! Can he beat the clock?
He's got it! He's up!
He's up the wall!
Boom! Oh, my goodness!
Well done. Unbelievable.
Now three more obstacles to go.
So far, so great. You doing OK?
It's a tough course. It's tough alright.
You've got the family watching. Everyone's pumped for you.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
Now, unlike the semis, to get to grand final 2,
Simon has to complete this course before the clock runs down.
A fall on any obstacle means he's out.
And these are hard obstacles, Leila.
First, he has to hop the bar into the next cradle.
This is a 2.5-metre lache.
But if the next bar rotates on the catch, it's hard to hold on.
I'm backing the Farmer's Arms. Here we go.
Oh! Splashdown.
Oh! And he's out!
Oh, what a shame!
Out of nowhere,
the Farmer barn-stormed his way to a grand final on debut
and that's a solid effort.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
Simon Martin! I tell you what, mate.
You have been the surprise packet this year.
There's no doubt about it.
Can we run us through here? What happened here? How did we fall off?
SIMON: Probably just a little bit gassed
but yeah, it's a bigger jump than what I was expecting, actually.
A few more jogs on the farm, I reckon, there, Simon Martin.
Now, mate, you're from a small town called Karoonda.
I'm sure you'll get a hero's welcome when you return.
Round of applause for Simon Martin!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
It's a great debut for Simon
but what an unexpected result for Fred Dorrington,
leaving him absolutely shattered tonight.
Oh. Oh, man.
Take a few deep breaths, mate.
Look, I'm absolutely gutted but one thing I've wanted to say
is to prove, you know,
diligence and motivation can do some amazing things.
I... you know, a year ago and I'm stoked to be here
and actually just running and hitting buzzers.
Think you're a legend, mate. Thanks, man.
You've done a great job getting back here.
All the best. Thanks. Cheers.
LEILA: Not the result he was after
but a year ago, he broke his back -
that's the kind of comeback
that will inspire the next generation of Ninjas.
It's been a unique season of Australian Ninja Warrior,
featuring, for the first time ever,
16- and 17-year-old Ninjas competing.
Eight of the next-gen Ninjas have made it to tonight's grand final.
Let me tell you, they are hungry
and this 16-year-old might just have what it takes.
Me being a 16-year-old,
I never thought I'd hit a semi-final buzzer but...
Get up there, big boy! LEILA: Oh, he's beaten that wall!
He's up. Here's the buzzer.
DANIEL: Here we are.
My plan of attack is to kind of focus on the course
rather than the competitor I'm going against.
Being in the grand final is absolutely epic
and I'm here to prove that I deserve to be here.
JIM: His technique is flawless.
LEILA: Got a lot of speed and strength.
This is a speed run.
BRODIE: I'm up against Daniel Waterman.
I've been saying since the start
that these 16-year-olds are gonna be deadly,
so I'll have to be really on my A-game.
And not just that - we have to verse the clock.
So I am... scared.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
MAN: Go, Brodie! Go, Brodie!
Daniel Waterman, the Send It Ninja.
In his first heat, he finished fourth overall.
He was super-quick.
Yes, the Send It Ninja from WA made the power pool in his heat.
But look at the size difference!
31 kilograms the difference here.
Translate that to a power-to-weight ratio, though,
and I think Dan can bring a little sauce to the barbecue.
A vegan barbecue for Brodie, of course.
I think we can give peace a chance.
Brodie almost got to the warped wall.
On the big screen, got a little bit of family.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
I've got his colour on tonight. Daniel Waterman.
You are rocking the yellow.
That's... that is the Send It yellow, official.
And here they go, over the sprinting steps to rope.
Daniel just getting ahead of Brodie there.
Up onto the eagle's claw first but there's not much in it.
Brodie's off it quickly. Ooh, Daniel's...
Daniel's missed the dismount.
Well, he didn't get enough momentum, did he?
His 50 kilograms not contributing much to the swing.
And he is letting his opponent, Brodie,
get right out in front of him
and Brodie up and running on the salmon ladders.
Yeah, Daniel's quick, though.
His weight might not have helped him on the eagle's claw
but it could help him over the next two obstacles.
He needs to keep the pressure on
and let Brodie know he's breathing down his neck.
He's making up some ground.
Keep going! Yeah!
This is looking like it may come down to the spring forward.
Brodie's gonna get there first.
Just glancing over his shoulder to see where Daniel is.
Brodie launching ahead, though.
Well done!
He's already on the spring forward,
as Daniel races to catch up.
Come on, Daniel! Come on!
Can Dan... Oh, here they go!
They're evening up here. Alright.
Can Daniel get a little bit of flow? Oh, yes!
Yes he can! He's got the flow!
Oh, my goodness! The king of swing! Oh, did you see that?
Oh, no! Oh!
There's no way that happened!
Oh, my good... Oh, he's missed the warped wall!
What a battle! But Brodie's out!
CROWD: (CHANTS) Warped wall! Warped wall!
This is intense.
I can't believe what we're seeing here.
He's up! He's up! Oh!
Get it! Get it! Yes! Yes!
He sent it! He is up there.
He sends peace down to the Peacemaker.
Well done, Daniel. (CROWD CHEERS)
OK. Catch your breath.
WA looks as excited as everybody else
but now Daniel's got a job to do.
Three obstacles in less than 3 minutes.
And here he goes. OK.
Onto the lightning bolts. Time to send it across obstacle 7.
He's not the tallest Ninja but he covers so much ground.
Oh, he flies across there!
See that? He was like a cornered huntsman.
He just flung himself.
Ooh, yes.
Look at that motion.
So easy.
That is seven obstacles down.
Just shake it out. 2 minutes. Easy.
Cousin Matt telling him he's good for time.
Plenty of family support.
This is the triple corkscrew.
He's looking good. Still looking strong.
Oh, he's not fatiguing but the clock is not waiting for him either.
This is gonna be tight.
Here he goes. First lache. He hits it and sticks it.
Oh, the spin on that! Wow! Wow!
He's like a rag-doll up there but he held on.
Gotta get back up to this one. Let it fly.
(CROWD CHEERS) Yes, another one.
That looked like fingertips only.
He needs more height to be safe.
If he falls here, he goes home.
Yes, that's solid!
Come on, Daniel. Come on, Daniel. Here we go, mate.
A quick re-adjustment.
He's going to have to move through the underwater escape
once he gets this dismount.
Are we about to see our first teen get into grand final 2?
Come on! Daniel trying to fill his lungs.
This is insanely hard when you're exhausted.
1:04 on the clock.
He's 50 kilograms. The doors are 40.
This will test him.
He's completely gassed. Come on, mate.
This is where being light might not help him.
He's gotta pull that 40 kilos across...
Ooh, look at that. Yes.
..get some air and then get through the first door
as the clock is going.
Barely getting... Gets himself through.
He's through. He's through. Come on, Daniel!
With 43 seconds and counting down.
This will come down to the wire. Time feels tight.
This is door two of three.
Seriously, he's deadlifting something his body weight,
underwater,
at the end of a Ninja run.
But look at the clock! Come on! But he's gotta get a move on.
Come on, Send It! It's time to send it.
If ever there was a time, it's now. One more door to go.
But the clock... This is gonna be super-tight.
No-one in Perth is breathing! Come on, Daniel!
You can do this! Everyone's got their breath held!
Go, go, go, go! Come on!
Go! Go! Come on! The clock is ticking!
We're down to seconds.
Come on! Get through! Get there! Come on!
Hit the buzzer! Hit the buzzer!
You can do it. Yes!
With seconds to spare! You can do it!
Seconds to spare!
(LAUGHS) How about that?
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Oh!
Take a breath, Australia.
What a race.
Daniel looked like he was in trouble on the eagle's claw.
His swing stalled and it cost him time to get it going.
But I'm calling it, Leila - this move on spring forward.
That's the move of the century.
And then Brodie, who tried to catch up,
fell and hit the water,
which, for Daniel, was lucky,
because he missed his first attempt at the warped wall.
This race had it all and the 16-year-old from WA got the job done
with 4 seconds left on the clock.
(CROWD CHEERS) Daniel, mate!
Hey, congratulations, brother.
That was an unbelievable race, mate.
Oh, you know, just sent it.
(LAUGHTER) That was truly exhilarating.
And you are through to the second round of the grand final!
Dan Waterman, the Send It Ninja!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
Attack of the teens is on.
Daniel's proven that age and size are no barrier on this course.
LEILA: Well, OMG - we've only just begun.
If those runs are anything to go by,
buckle up for a night of unbelievable drama and action.
Grand final 1 is going to be huge
and we will be back with more
of the grand final of Australian Ninja Warrior after this.
Which of these Ninja legends can fight back?
The teens have made their mark.
Ninja legends, these teenagers are coming for you!
Look at this!
I want this kid to make it.
Is this guy really just 17 years old?
I mean, look at the moves.
How will the legends respond?
I'm just gonna be plodding along behind, gasping for breath.
I'm telling you, these teens just bring it.
Yeah, I'm gonna... unfortunately, do everything I can to stop 'em here.
To be going up against a teen makes me nervous,
because I don't know what they're capable of.
They could knock me off here, so I've really gotta go for it.
LEILA: Grand final stage 1 is starting to heat up.
Welcome back to the Australian Ninja Warrior grand final,
stage 1.
Ninjas are racing in head-to-head battles
and first to the warped wall buzzer knocks their opponent out.
The victor then has to complete the rest of the course
within the 5:10 time limit
to reach grand final stage 2 tomorrow night.
One mistake, though, and your season is over.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
LEILA: Now it's a showdown between two first-time grand finalists
and it features one of only three women to make it this far.
It's the 25-year-old Nanny Ninja, Judith Carroll.
And the Ninja Nerd, 38-year-old Brisbane teacher Nathan Burley.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
NATHAN: Ninja Nerd, grand final!
It's so good! I've been working so hard.
Eight years of my life dedicated to this.
A lot of sweat, a lot of pain,
so now it's time to reap the rewards.
It's finally my first time in the grand finals.
This has been an absolute dream of mine.
I'm fighting for bragging rights and I'm not gonna let my students down.
Yeah!
It's kind of like Beauty & the Geek, I guess.
She looks sweet but she's fierce like a tiger, so...
Ooh, I feel... ..I'm a bit worried, to be honest.
I am stoked to be here at the grand finals.
Pretty proud to be representing the women,
getting more girls through.
LEILA: Yes! She's hitting the buzzer!
Hoping to get even further if I can.
I'm one of only three women to ever make it to the grand final,
so watch out, boys.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
LEILA: We have a match on here!
(NATHAN YELLS)
He is pumped up!
And someone else who might be pumped up is tuning in -
partner Sarah up on the screen, with baby Eli.
And Judith - look at the focus on her face
as her family that she nannies for...
You got it, Judy!
..always here, always supporting her.
JIM: And boyfriend Mat,
who was knocked out in the semi-finals by Alex Bigg.
Judith's form is unquestionable.
Fifth in her heat, making it up the warped wall
and seventh in her semi, falling at the very last obstacle.
Nathan, 13th and 12th in his heat and semi.
In this beauty-and-the-geek battle,
any geek will tell you the numbers favour Judith.
And here we go. Alright. Here we go.
Crushing the sprinting steps. They're neck and neck.
Here's the eagle's claw.
Wow! Look at Judith fly!
Oh, what a dismount from Judith!
Ooh, look at Judith go!
Judith quickly off to a lead
and she's gonna get across those cat grabs.
Easy for her.
Oh, nice move by Nathan to catch up, though!
This is the salmon ladder.
It's really hard to go fast.
If you make a mistake here, there is no coming back from it.
Very evenly matched at this point.
And out they go to the fixed bars
and here comes the bar hop.
Oh! Whoa!
Mr Burley is doing so well!
This is hot Ninja. This is as good as it gets.
Look at both of them go!
Judith is very measured... Oh!
Oh, no! She's out! She's off!
She's in the water, Judith!
(SPECTATORS GROAN)
Oh! Job, Judith!
That's a disaster for Judith!
She's so disappointed!
Yep. Her grand final is over.
But what about Nathan?
He is crushing it on spring forward, Leila.
As he heads for the warped wall.
He is looking for his very first buzzer.
This is a moment.
Come on. The buzzer's up here!
Go, buddy!
Go! Give it a burl!
Yes! Yes, you did!
Nathan! Here it is, the moment!
Yes! (CROWD ROARS)
He's done it!
Look at his family! So happy. You hit that buzzer!
Way to go! Nice.
The clock's tickin'! You're tickin' too, buddy.
Great job.
And the crowd is giving him a lot of energy.
There he goes. Right.
Nathan now has 3 minutes to finish three obstacles.
It's going to be tight. These are the lightning bolts.
He needs plenty of height.
And laches... Oh, no! Oh!
He just didn't quite get there!
And Nathan Burley gave it a burl
but he is out.
Nathan was looking strong but there wasn't enough height on that lache
and his season comes to a swimming end
but what a wonderful season it's been.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
Well, so far, only 16-year-old Ninja Daniel Waterman
has managed to complete this course.
Is this going to be a trend or will our next two Ninjas turn it around?
They're Ninja royalty and this is a battle of epic proportions.
If the teens want to know how to get the job done,
these two Ninjas will show them.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
He's one of the kings of Ninja,
making it six straight grand finals.
It's Rob Patterson!
And dream big, they say -
well, no-one does it bigger than the Ninja we call the Bigg Ninja.
He's never missed a season - it's Alex Bigg.
Alex didn't complete the semi-final course.
He got to the second-last obstacle.
Rob Patterson went all the way,
finishing second
but they were both fast to the warped wall
and I'm tipping it'll be the same tonight.
This is Alex's fourth grand final,
Rob Patterson's sixth.
This is experience vs experience.
And up on the screens to witness this immense battle,
wife Amy, son Arlo and sister-in-law Hannah.
And his dad, Steve, on the sidelines,
as is Rob's partner, Tamara.
Here are two Ninja legends.
They know what they're doing. They've been here before.
Here they go, over the sprinting steps to rope
and it's Rob Patterson flying through the air
but this is tight!
Yes! Lands it.
Gee, fast, eh? Oh, nice! Good, good.
Not much in it as they head on to the cat grab.
But Biggy just behind Rob Patterson.
Onto the salmon ladder now.
Gotta go up at least two rungs
and the pressure is on - 'Bigg' pressure, that is.
Yep. B-I-G-G trying to make his move to come back here.
He's on the comeback trail from that shoulder surgery
and he's gonna have to chase down season two champ Rob Patterson,
who's really doing well on the bar hop.
Rob about to dismount. He's still in the lead.
Yes and Alex needs to dig deep and find something here.
'Cause Alex is coming for him here.
He's got a good lead, Rob.
But he's gotta keep moving!
And moving quick, Woody.
His time to make a play is fast running out.
It's do or die now.
Four spring forward bars left before the warped wall is upon them.
What have you got, Alex Bigg? What can you do?
Oh, there's seconds in it! Whoa!
And he went and he found his feet first!
The Bigg Ninja is beating him up the wall!
He's beating him but they're both up...
What? Who hit that? Who hit that?
I don't know who got it!
It looks like... looks like Alex thinks that Rob may have
but we have a photo finish here.
I have no idea who's won. We've stopped the clock.
We've stopped the clock? I think we've got a hold.
We've stopped the clock.
Oh, we have never had a buzzer so close.
OK.
The video ref is going to take a close look at that,
to make sure that the correct decision is made.
Stage 2 of a grand final is on the line.
Alright.
We're gonna take a break and come back with the video ref's decision.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
LEILA: Welcome back
to the Australian Ninja Warrior grand final.
Just before the break, we saw Rob Patterson and Alex Bigg
hit the buzzer at pretty much the same time.
We've paused the clock!
The countdown clock has been stopped while the footage is being reviewed
to see which Ninja is out and which Ninja continues.
JIM: It looks as if Rob hits the buzzer first
but as he falls forward, his hand only grazes it.
The question is, did he press it?
Because Alex is in a better position to strike
and it looks like he gets downward pressure.
Here we can see a different angle.
Rob's hand slides down the side of it
and Alex hits it on the top.
There's not much in it but that's what the video ref is looking at
and the call has been made.
Good effort! Good effort, guys!
While Rob got to the buzzer first,
he actually didn't press it hard enough.
(SPECTATORS GROAN)
Alex has gotten through
and, Alex, that was an amazing battle.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
Well done, Alex!
Well done, both of you!
The clock starts again now!
Wow. Biggy's gotta keep moving. I can't believe that.
We're off and running!
Let's go, Alex! Let's go, Alex!
Just when you think you've seen it all on Australian Ninja Warrior,
there's a new wrinkle, a new twist.
And that was something special.
Now it's back to basics.
It's the Bigg Ninja vs the clock, Leila.
Yeah. 2:49 left for three obstacles.
That's about the same time Daniel Waterman had here
and he finished with 4 seconds to spare.
Alex should have enough time
if he can put these lightning bolts behind him.
Alex Bigg just seems to get better and better,
year after year.
Love it! Come on!
Yes! He nails that last floating bar.
Look at Dad go!
Go, Dadda!
Alex Bigg is onto the triple corkscrew.
Hopefully on the way to grand final 2.
Two obstacles to go. Two more obstacles to go, bubba.
Dad! Here he comes.
Big hip-swing and big lache.
One down! Well done.
He's got the hat. It's the determination in his eyes.
He's got great control for one of the bigger Ninjas.
Look at him fly upwards to number two.
He's gotta be digging deep now for number three.
It's a long way up.
He needs to go with his hips.
And a nice catch.
What a pay-off he is getting
for all of the rehab he's done on his shoulder
after that surgery.
Yes, Alex! Yes!
Yes, Alex! Go, go! Whoo!
He's flown through those last obstacles
and he's 25 seconds faster than Daniel Waterman.
The legend's gonna show the teen how it's done.
And he went the cannonball into the pool!
He's gotta keep it open, because he is a bigger Ninja.
I don't think he's got enough room to get through there...
Oh... He just, JUST got himself through.
He's like a grease-man.
Number two. He gets a little bit of force behind him there.
Takes a look at the clock too, to get a little extra oxygen.
Yeah, it's ticking down.
One more to go. Come on, Alex. Come on, Alex!
He needs some oxygen in those lungs.
Here we are - door three.
Look at the weight of that door! Yes! Get through there!
Oh, he squeezes... Shimmy, shimmy, shimmy!
Come on. Mount Midoriyama wants a piece.
Yes!
It's gone!
The notorious B-I-G-G is through!
And no doubt about that buzzer.
He has booked a spot in the grand final number 2.
Yeah, Arlo. Daddy's on it. Yay!
I'm not sure where that turbo button is
but Alex sure hit it when he had to beat Rob up the wall.
So often, we say that Ninja is a game of inches
and Rob Patterson knows that all too well.
That's the closest call we've seen
but kudos to Rob -
he proved once again he's no easy beat
and well done, Alex.
He had to take down a former champ to get through.
It's one teen and one veteran through to the grand final.
There are plenty of big-name Ninjas gunning for glory
and three of them are armed with a crucial second-chance advantage
they won by being fastest in the semis.
That means if they fall, fail to hit the buzzer first
or they run out of time,
they'll get to re-run the course again from the start,
to try and complete all nine obstacles.
The advantage-holders are with Will and Woody now.
Alright.
So, here we are with the guys, the Furthest Fastest in the semi-finals.
We've got 'Flashlin' Ashlin, we've got Olivia Vivian
and we have Jake Baker over there as well.
So, Jake, does this change the way you go about it,
given you've got a second chance?
Uh, yeah, I reckon you get to be a little bit more confident out there
and just go a bit quicker.
Do you need any more confidence out there, Flashlin?
Uh, look, I normally bomb out in the final,
so we'll see.
It's gonna be good to have a second chance.
Olivia, if you bomb out and then you get a second chance,
does that mean that we get to see you
kiss Ben Polson twice on the sidelines?
(LAUGHS) Oh, I don't... I'm hoping we don't have to use it.
That's nine obstacles, you have to do it again but...
Mm-hm. I see where your head's at, hey?
Yeah. Sounds like you don't want to kiss Ben Polson.
No, that's what it sounds like. I agree.
Alright. We're gonna get out of here.
Over to you guys.
LEILA: Zak Stolz had the advantage last season.
He used it and went on to win.
It's possible it could happen again
but Olivia Vivian is hoping she won't need it tonight
as she takes on a teen who has got the goods.
It's Luke Schmitzer!
I think being in the grand final means that I deserve to be here.
It means that my training is paying off.
It means all my hard work is paying off.
First time up the wall!
That is amazing! JIM: He's done it!
Luke Schmitzer, the Schnitzel!
I always knew there were gonna be a lot of teens in the grand final.
We've made it here on our own merit.
I think my first reaction to finding out who I was versing
was... absolute dread!
Oh, whatever!
LEILA: Bow down, Ninjas, to Olivia Vivian!
I am the first female in Ninja history to get Furthest Fastest
in the semi-final.
JIM: There she is.
The second buzzer!
Boom goes the dynamite!
That second life is a game-changer.
It's not my plan to use it tonight.
But I have no doubt Luke will be pushing me.
These teens are relentless.
Like, he already told me he's gonna send it.
And my heart is definitely going.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
Olivia Vivian, an inspiration
to all the women that are watching right now.
One of three women that is in the grand final.
And in her way, the Schnitzel, Luke Schmitzer.
Looks relaxed. He's got the long hair there.
He's giving me a very gentle wave there
but this bloke moves very quickly.
JIM: This is youth vs experience.
Luke is 16 and the youngest Ninja in the grand final
and he's half Olivia's age
but experience counts for a lot.
(START BELL DINGS)
And there they go,
taking their time and smoothly through the first obstacle.
Up to the eagle and off is Olivia Vivian.
Very elegant.
Luke's held on for another swing - that might cost the teenager.
We'll need to see some speed from him now.
Whoa! Oh, what a move!
He's catching up!
And Olivia is onto the salmon ladder.
Olivia up one rung as Luke gets on.
The gap is closing.
Neck and neck. The champ vs the youngest Ninja on the course.
And Luke is right behind Olivia,
putting the pressure on.
That was a powerful move, Olivia not hesitating,
making short work of the bar hop!
Wow. She's got the left elbow strapped.
She's got damage to the ulnar nerve
but she's doing damage to the course so far.
Impressive as ever.
Olivia spanning, getting ready to send it - and send it she does,
up on the spring forward.
Here she comes!
She is way ahead of Luke Schmitzer at this stage.
She is flying across the spring forward
and she is heading for the warped wall.
She's heading up here, Jim!
What an amazing performance.
He won't be able to rest here, the Schnitzel.
He's gotta keep moving.
She knows she's got time. She's gotta get the wall.
She's got it! There she is!
Oh, yes. She's over the wall.
She's not mucking around. Smacks that buzzer, no tricks.
Nothing fancy, just yes - two thumbs up to her opponent.
Yes. Luke's out. It's all Olivia.
She now has to finish the last three obstacles
before the clock hits zero.
Is this Australia's first female Ninja Warrior?
Maybe!
Her boyfriend, Ben, there -
of course, the only person crowned Australian Ninja Warrior.
Make sure of it! Make sure of it.
Olivia sucking in the air. She has 3 minutes to finish three obstacles.
If she can do that, she keeps the second-chance advantage
for stage 2 tomorrow night.
So driven this woman. You can see how much it means to her.
Yeah. Total focus and determination.
She'll need both on this,
a brand-new obstacle, the lightning bolt.
Swing, swing. Come on.
2.5 metres the distance to the next floating bar.
Oh, no! This has not happened!
No! Oh, my god.
Oh, the second chance will come into play for Olivia Vivian.
Wow.
Who would have thought she would need it?
Well, that's why they have insurance.
She will get another run at it
and she will have that experience in hand.
Should she get to the lightning bolts again,
perhaps she'll attack it a different way
but she seems shocked by this outcome.
It's that second bar.
It's a long lache and Olivia has gone two hands over the bar.
As she comes down onto it, her fingers just peel off.
Will is down with Olivia now.
O-Viv, mate!
Oh, mate! How tough's that course?
Oh, that's brutal.
It's, um...yeah, it's a push
and Luke really pushed me to go
and... wow!
That just... All I'm thinking is, thank god I've got a safety bar!
Yeah.
Will you change the way you approach it for the second time round?
I'll definitely be going for that mixed-grip catch.
Yes.
I'm going to use what I learnt on these obstacles
to approach it and attack it differently the second time.
Love that. Olivia Vivian. She's got another chance!
Got another chance. Round two!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
LEILA: Yeah, fingers crossed for the second attempt of our Ninja queen
a little later on tonight.
But don't go anywhere - there's plenty more action ahead
in the grand final of Australian Ninja Warrior,
including these two legends -
Ashlin Herbert takes on Mike Snow head-to-head
when we return.
LEILA: Welcome back.
It's grand final night here at Australian Ninja Warrior.
We began the night with 36 Ninjas
and only those who complete stage 1 within the time limit
will earn a ticket to stage 2 tomorrow night.
Only two Ninjas have made it so far -
16-year-old Daniel Waterman
and 35-year-old Alex Bigg.
The path to Mount Midoriyama is as brutal as ever,
as Ninjas of all experience levels are finding out.
In his fifth grand final,
Jordan Papandrea took on teenager Aiden Princena-White.
Oh, wow! What happened to Jordan? Oh!
He launched himself at the eagle's claw,
re-adjusted his hands
but didn't make the dismount.
Wow! Jordan's gone! My goodness. He is.
Aiden Princena-White's run came to an untimely end as well.
(SPECTATORS YELL, GROAN)
Oh, what a shame! No!
45-year-old schoolteacher Warwick Draper
took on 34-year-old tradie Sam Goodall.
Both of them up on the eagle's claw.
Oh! Sam's in the drink!
On obstacle 2!
Oh, Sam!
Mr Draper was tracking well on the lightning bolts...
Oh, no! Oh!
He became the fourth Ninja to be struck down by obstacle 7.
Ninja mum Nicole Chamberlain,
the third female in the grand final,
took on another first-time grand-finalist,
Tourette's ambassador James Sayers,
aka Ninja Twitch.
And the Ninja mom going toe-to-toe with Twitch
and she's gonna take one extra spin on the eagle to get across.
Nicole sped up to keep the pressure on Twitch.
Here goes Nicole. Come on...
Oh, no! (SPECTATORS GROAN)
Twitch was pushing hard on the triple corkscrews.
Oh! Oh! Oh! No! Oh!
No!
He came undone but came up smiling in his best season yet.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
The Australian Ninja Warrior grand finals
just keep on delivering, Jim,
and I have a feeling this next race
will give us even more drama to enjoy.
You want speed? Check. You want power? Check.
You want thrills? Get ready.
It's 27-year-old Ashlin 'Flashlin' Herbert
taking on the greatest stuntman in Australia,
the mighty Mike Snow.
When I found out I was racing Ashlin,
I pretty much pooed my pants
and just thought I should just quit and go and grab the nearest cake.
Eat my sorrows away.
Wow, he's so quick!
But he does have a tendency to make really silly mistakes
when he's rushing.
BEN FORDHAM: He's already 10 seconds faster than anyone else.
Is he up... Oh! What?
Time is not going to be an issue
and as you pointed out, he has had slip-ups before...
REBECCA MADDERN: Oh, no!
The only thing I've really got over Mike Snow is probably speed
but he's definitely much stronger than me,
can definitely hold his body weight better than I can.
JIM: Look at Mike Snow attack this course.
MIKE: I can put in a good run against Ashlin
but a perfect run from him
is doom for me.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
JIM: This is just one of those match-ups,
when you saw it on paper, you went, "Oh, my goodness."
Mike's facing a Ninja who's fast and has a second chance in his pocket
and that's more than a challenge.
Ashlin was the fastest of all Ninjas in the semis.
48 seconds clear of the next fastest.
Mike Snow almost completed the course,
falling on the very last transition.
These are two of our strongest Ninjas.
This will be a doozy.
I cannot believe that one of these guys could be going home.
WILL: I mean, I think the fact that both of them say
that the other one will win
is probably an indication
of how much respect they have for each other.
Let's remember Ashlin has the insurance
of that second-chance advantage.
Mike only has one shot at this.
He needs to beat Flashlin.
(START BELL DINGS)
And there they go, quickly across the steps.
Head-to-head. That's a good start for Mike Snow.
Staying close...
Oh, no! But he's down!
LEILA: Oh, Mike's in the drink!
Oh, Mike!
He didn't make the grab on the eagle!
Oh, splashdown for Mike Snow, obstacle 2!
Oh! Cannot believe it.
And 'Flashlin' Ashlin Herbert moving on up.
Leila, that's heart-breaking
but the show must go on.
Sorry, I'm still in shock. Mike's out.
I knew not to overpower the jump.
I kept it pretty flat
and I don't know - I think my hands just...
they just slid on their whole connection.
JIM: 4:24 on the clock but he needs to finish the course
if he wants to avoid using that second-chance advantage, Ashlin.
Ashlin's only got one speed and that is flat-out.
He doesn't need someone up against him to race this course.
Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised to learn
that Ashlin was actually born on a bar 5 metres in the air.
Yes!
He's got the speed to beat the clock
but he's just taking a moment on this new obstacle,
getting a feel for it.
(CHEERING) Oh, he's got the feel alright.
This is the master in action. If you don't mind!
Put it away, mate. And here he goes.
Oh, look at that! He's done the job here.
Up the wall. He made short work of that.
The spring forward, boing-boing-boing
and straight up the wall.
Good job.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
And the clock looks fine.
Daniel Waterman's run is a good indicator.
He had less than 3 minutes from here and completed
and that's what Ashlin needs to do.
There's one thing you'd say about Ashlin in the years gone by,
one blemish...
is that he can lapse his concentration.
Whoa. He's corrected.
Just like that.
He's fine.
He's not putting on the show of speed
we've seen from him in the past -
I think he wants to hang on to that second-chance advantage.
I tell you, that would be a wise move for sure.
Plenty of time, Ash.
If he doesn't use it in this stage,
he can use it in grand final stage 2.
Ashlin with a second chance
is a terrifying prospect for other Ninjas.
Remember, it got Zak Stolz over the line last year.
MAN: Hold on tight.
Ashlin about to attack this triple corkscrew.
Yeah! Huge lache.
Check it out. It's like he's courting these screws.
I feel like I'm watching a dance in the wild.
Here we go. Yes, look at that.
He doesn't extend his arms when he catches.
He's got plenty of power, plenty of strength still left.
Here's the last real risk for him.
He makes the grab. Get off it now. Get off it.
He should be able to get his way off with a dismount here.
Oh!
And does he have the time to get through this?
We're about to find out. (LAUGHS)
Two thumbs up. He certainly thinks so.
I know he does a bit of diving in his spare time.
Go, Ashlin!
I still don't think he's moved a 40-kilo door underwater.
1:31 on the clock.
You have to marvel at the way this guy goes about getting the job done.
And history tells us, if Ashlin doesn't fail on the course,
he finishes first.
He has never made it past stage 2 of a grand final.
With that second chance in his pocket,
he's well on his way to uncharted territory.
And he's through. He's up here now.
Come on! Yes! Yes!
He's up! He's made it! There's the buzzer.
And he is into the grand final number 2.
14 seconds faster than Alex Bigg!
That's the best time of the night!
Over a minute left on the clock
and still with that second chance.
That is insane!
Take note, everybody!
This might well be the Ninja to beat.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
Maybe the only way Mike Snow could have beaten Ashlin
was to force a mistake
but he didn't get the chance.
His hand not quite nailing the grab.
But Flashlin Ashlin, well, Will said it before,
almost danced across the obstacles without a care in the world.
There is no other ninja quite like him.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
Mate... Thanks, Buddy.
How about it? So four grand finals previously...
Yep.
You've now taken that second chance,
you've got through to the second round of the Grand Final here.
Is this your year?
It could be my year. We'll see. We'll see how we go.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
(LAUGHS) He's just too casual, this bloke.
Flashlin Ashlin Herbert, everybody.
How much do we love him?
Great job, mate. Thanks, mate.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
JIM: We're taking a short break, but when we return,
there will be more excitement coming your way.
Legends, Alex Bigg, Ashlin Herbert and teenager, Daniel Watermann,
are the only ninjas so far who have made it to Grand Final two.
But with five more teens yet to run, can they even the score?
And still to run,
Australian Ninja Warrior's current champ, Zak Stolz
and Olivia Vivian's second chance run.
She's doing it for the girls.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
LEILA: Welcome back to this thrilling Grand Final
of Australian Ninja Warrior.
The pressure of these knockout contests
and the race against the clock has provided plenty of drama.
Out on the course now, Doctor Andrew Luo,
up against engineer, Le Hua.
At least one of them is going home tonight,
maybe both, if all nine obstacles aren't completed.
Doctor Luo, heading up the Salmon Ladder.
And you can hear the click clack of Le
and that's where he caught him.
And he's taking him over, in fact.
Oh no!
Oh, he's lost the pole. Oh, no!
Such a shame, the doctor is just hanging.
Doctor Luo has found himself in his own emergency
and the prognosis is not good.
You've got plenty of time, Le!
Le, on the other hand, is looking fit and healthy
as he makes his way onto Spring Forward.
He's got to lache to this bar.
He is going to try the miracle lache.
Holy moly, he's going for it!
Doctor Luo, giving it everything here.
Come on, Doc!
Oh...! There's nothing but water waiting.
The miracle was not going to happen.
Oh, wow.
Oh, God. I've got to catch up with Le!
LEILA: Le is firing along,
he's racing the clock, he's springing forward,
he's heading for the warped wall.
Takes a look back to see where his opponent is.
All right, here we go, just the clock to race now for Le.
JIM: Here comes Le, trying to knock another buzzer.
Oh, he's up the wall! No problem.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
(BUZZER SOUNDS)
Yeah, well look at the style.
Strong, isn't he?
Isn't he, he's a great competitor.
Le Hua looking good.
He's in the sweet spot with three and three.
You've got plenty of time.
Three obstacles to go, three minutes on the clock.
If he completes them all in time,
he's in tomorrow night's Grand Final Stage Two,
but this is a tough one.
And the Lightning Bolts have claimed a few ninjas tonight.
Oh, he's done it.
He put a little bit of...
..a little audio into that lache.
Let's see if he does it again, let's listen.
(GRUNTS)
Yes!
Yes and a quick switch to the Mixed Grip at the end.
Get a bit of traction for the dismount...
..as he has his eyes on the Triple Corkscrew.
Shake it out.
The 41-year-old engineer,
up he goes, swinging on the rope,
trying to get to the Fixed Bars without burning too much energy.
And here he'll go for three very tough laches.
Come on, here we go.
(GRUNTS)
Yes! Well done.
Wow!
Here he goes, number two. Get it!
Yes.
And Kat is with him every step of the way.
Last one. It's high up.
This is quite a leap. Come on...
(GRUNTS) Is he holding? Yes, he is.
Oh, his arms. He's hurting.
Do you know anyone who complains about walking up stairs?
Try lache-ing up them.
It's pretty much what these guys are doing.
He is digging deep here.
Oh! Oh...
Wow! He barely made it over the water there.
That was like, centimetres. He is gassed.
He is so gassed out here.
He's gassed and now he's got the hardest part.
Earlier tonight, Daniel Watermann finished with four seconds to spare.
He hit the water three seconds faster than Le.
This could be tight.
Le will have to be flawless through here
to get to Stage Two tomorrow night,
as he makes his way through the first of three doors.
But oh, he's struggling through that one.
Oh, geez, he's just through there.
Like, this is hard to watch, I'm telling you.
The clock ticking, oxygen is difficult.
He is really fighting this. Come on, Come on!
(GASPS) Come on, Le!
He's breathing hard.
WILL: Look how tired he is, you can hear him panting.
Like, everything in his body
is telling him not to go underwater at the moment.
LEILA: 27 seconds, we're counting down.
The clock is ticking. One more door.
Can he do it?
WILL: Come on, Le! Come on, Le!
So obviously, this is like something from the movie, 'Saw.'
I hate this. Oh, he's through!
Come on now, come on. Yes, he wants it so bad.
Here he goes. Come on!
10 seconds to go, get up there.
Come on, yes. Yes!
He's up! He's made it!
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
He had nothing in the tank, but he did it anyway.
That was sheer willpower.
I can't believe
he even had the energy to take his shirt off, to be honest.
That was inspiring.
Oh, well done, well done.
Well another Grand Final race packed full of tension and drama.
Oh, thank you.
Only one-year-old engineer, Le Hua.
He is into his first Stage Two Grand Final.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
Well when it comes to grand finals, the cream always rises to the top
and who knows, one of these ninjas could go all the way to the top.
What a race this promises to be.
It's the 24-year-old from Perth, Matt Bowles,
versus 23-year-old Queenslander, Matt Mosca.
Matt versus Matt.
WILL: Big, big battle this one.
Matty Bowles, the Silent Assassin.
Look, I'm going to be honest,
I reckon this bloke could go the whole way this year.
He's got a point to prove against Mount Midoriyama,
So can't wait to see what's going to happen.
And Matty Mosca, he's a first time ninja.
Got all the potential in the world though,
he could really take it to him.
Matt's a rope access technician,
spends a lot of his time high above the ground.
I think he'd feel comfortable atop Mount Midoriyama,
but to get up there,
he has to get through Matty Bowles and this course
and the Silent Assassin is a man on a mission.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
Lots of support for Matt Mosca.
Go, Matty, go.
Come on, baby.
Lots of support for Matty Bowles too, from partner Liliana.
(BUZZER SOUNDS) And away they roll,
both cruising through the first obstacle
and onto the launchpad, the Eagle.
Oh, a little bit of a twisting landing for Matt Mosca,
but Matt Bowles is racing away from him.
Yeah, there's plenty of noise for both Matts,
coming from the sidelines as they get to the Salmon Ladder.
Matt Bowles in the lead, but not by much.
WILL: Old twinkle toes, Matty Mosca, he's just held on.
And he's back in it, up to his eyeballs against one of the best.
Mosca has taken over.
This is obscene from Matty Mosca.
JIM: It's a huge come back from Matt Mosca.
Matt versus Matt, Matt's ahead, now no, Matt's ahead.
We're getting up to the Spring Forward right here.
Both of them launching off of the tramp
and now they know it's a sense of urgency, 'cause the wall beckons.
Matt Bowles...
..Matt Mosca just behind him and Matt Bowles is just ahead.
He is getting... He's got the flow.
Mosca is trying to catch him, he's got the flow...
Look at this, look at this! ..they're both at the wall!
Oh, just... Goodness!
..just couldn't get to the top of the wall,
oh, it was a hand's length away from him.
WOMAN: Go, go, go. WILL: Oh, wow.
JIM: The Silent Assassin just killed it.
He hit that buzzer 10 seconds faster than anyone else tonight.
He can afford to take some time to catch his breath.
That was insanity. Catch your breath.
360, so you're fine.
Liliana is right, he's well inside that three and three mark.
Speed no longer a major factor for Matt,
he's just got to get the job done,
complete the rest of the course and he is one step closer
to a shot at Mount Midoriyama.
Nice catch. Yes!
Oh, the mixed grip catch. He has perfect technique here.
That was a big lache, he had the right group for it
and now he's going for number three
and he's done it again
and he's onto the Triple Corkscrew.
All right, well done.
He's 10 seconds slower than Ashlin's time.
Come on, baby.
A little under 2.5 minutes now on the clock.
He's taken a little extra time, Leila,
just to get that oxygen, which is critical,
not just for this obstacle, certainly for the Underwater Escape.
But this is the time now to look at the clock,
to pace yourself, to breathe, to get your energy and to focus.
These corkscrews are unforgiving.
He is just dominating these laches.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
The hips are driving.
Look at that power.
This is the tricky one, round and round he goes,
no problem at all for the Silent Assassin.
The ability to transfer for him,
it looks like it's just something he was born with.
Look how high he flies.
Unbelievable.
All right, one to go.
It's just the dismount now and then it's time to go underwater.
He's 33 seconds off Ashlin's pace.
We're going underwater now.
He's slowed down through this backend,
but he's only here to do one thing tonight and that's hit that buzzer.
Wet jeans wouldn't be good. Shocking choice on this obstacle.
JIM: He is a free diver, Leila,
so this should be more natural for him than most
to hold his breath and to grind it out.
One door down, now he's got the one that you pull straight up...
Massive lift there, 40 kg he's lifting underwater.
He looks calm and calculated,
working his way through the last obstacle.
50 seconds to go.
A lot of them go feet first on this one,
use that handle as a way to kind of pull themselves through,
nicely done.
Look at the strength it takes
to wrench that door open underwater,
all while holding your breath,
all while completely tired out and here he goes.
Come on, oh, look at the style!
Wow! Matthew Bowles is into Stage Two tomorrow night.
Gee whiz that was a good run.
Well done, baby!
He got so close to Mount Midoriyama two seasons ago,
he could practically touch it.
The Silent Assassin is still a man on a mission.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
Huge respect to Matt Mosca.
He pushed hard the whole way
in the fastest run to the buzzer tonight,
barely anything in that.
But look at the flawless technique of Matty Bowles here.
He had time and height to catch Mixed Grip and make it look easy.
The Silent Assassin, proving again, he is a deadly weapon.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
We'll take a quick break, but don't go anywhere.
A teenage tear-away is set to make his Grand Final debut.
His speed might be restricted on the open roads...
God, Stingray is quick.
..but on the Ninja Warrior course, he has no limits.
That was Ash on the smash!
Ash Campbell is next,
on the Australian Ninja Warrior Grand Final.
The kid is 16 years old!
(DOG BARKING
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
Your back with us at the Australian Ninja Warrior
Stage One Grand Final,
where we've seen some incredible head to head runs.
Tonight, speed is king with every ninja racing the clock
and each other to make it to Stage Two.
JIM: So far, four legends have made it there,
along with one teenager, WA's 16 year old, Daniel Watermann
and Ashlin Herbert got there without using his second chance.
LEILA: Unlike Olivia Vivian,
she's backstage preparing to do it all over again,
thanks to her crucial second chance advantage from Energizer.
Will she defeat the Lightning Bolts and earn a spot in Stage Two?
Well, she'll use her second shot a little later,
but first, let's see who is facing off in our next Ninja showdown.
From the moment he stepped foot on the course,
this 16 year old has been on fire.
Mentor, Ashlin Herbert says
he's got what it takes to go all the way to the top.
It's the Stingray, Ash Campbell,
here to prove the Teens have got what it takes.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
I won the Power Pool by taking out three Ninja legends.
JIM: Ash, the Stingray in it all the way.
JIM: Oh!
LEILA: Ashlin is in the water!
And David is lagging. Oh!
David is down!
The Stingray is on the precipice of a major upset!
That's one point to the Teen Team...
He's done it!
..and I think my determination will take me all the way through.
MAN: I did say to a lot of people,
like, I'd love to verse someone who is really good
and really quick and I have just, you know,
be careful what you wish for, 'cause I've just gotten it. (LAUGHS)
I've heard a lot about this guy
and I'm just going to 100 percent send this.
(LAUGHTER)
I don't have a choice.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
JIM: Eddie Burrill, the barista,
will be hoping to serve up a double shot
of something strong tonight,
as the 30-year-old takes on the 16 year old Stingray.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
Let's go, Stingray!
This kid has been a revelation.
Yes, Ash by name, Ashlin by nature. He's fast.
But look, Eddie is a veteran. We know this.
He is a three-time Ninja legend.
Let's go, brother.
JIM: Fred Dorrington on the sideline.
You've got this brother, get it.
(BUZZER SOUNDS) Here we go.
And they're off, alright, through the Sprinting Steps,
pretty neck and neck, onto the Launchpad, the Eagle
and Stingray takes the lead
and they are going to hit the Cat Grab,
nice jump.
One, two, three.
Stingray is off and running and Eddie is a little behind.
Yep, Ash is very quick,
he's light, he's quick, he's good at those balance obstacles.
He's already up the Salmon Ladder and across.
JIM: Oh! And Eddie is down. Eddie's in!
Dammit, Burrill!
Eddie is in the drink! He is down,
so Eddie crashes out on the Salmon Ladder
and his Grand Final is over.
Oh, Lisa, head in hands,
devastating, that is rough.
But Ash isn't pausing, he is racing the clock.
Plenty of time, plenty of time.
The 16 year old, seven seconds faster than Ashlin now.
All yours, let's go!
The stingray, we've seen this kid win a Power Pool,
he's moving fast.
Look at him go.
This is just playtime for him. Laches are his specialty,
that's where he got the nickname,
'cause he's got this wonderful unfolding.
And there he goes, flowing! Oh, look at him on that, Jim!
Look at that! Amazing!
He is such a gun! Just the wall to beat now.
This will be a cruise for him.
Crushing the clock.
No problem. Beats the wall.
Piece of cake. Look at the time.
He really does make this look easy.
He is crushing this course.
Ashlin Herbert on the side,
the fastest Ninja tonight, but maybe not for long.
Ash Campbell is neck and neck with his time here.
2.5 m this lache,
it's undone some quality ninjas tonight,
but not Ash Campbell.
61 kg is not a lot of weight to carry
as he winds up for the last one.
You're watching something special.
He is just 16 years old
and he makes it look like he just was born with it.
Triple Corkscrew now, Flashlin Ashlin there on the sidelines.
And he's quicker than Ashlin by 10 seconds at this point.
If you ever thought these teens were too young to take on Ninja,
take a look at Ash.
He is fast and fearless.
Nicely done, there's number one. There he goes.
This kid is going so fast.
Look at him fly, it's the attack of the Teens!
He is crushing this course.
You are seeing something special here, Australia.
This is amazing.
This is a 16-year-old,
who is absolutely dominating this Grand Final first course,
look at that.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
He's seven seconds faster than Ashlin
and the Stingray is about to hit the water.
Can he hit that buzzer and book a sport for tomorrow night?
Last year, he was watching from home,
thinking, "I reckon I could do that,"
and now, he is here matching it with the Ninja legends.
But what about 40 kg, can he get that?
Yep, no problem and he slithers through,
'cause he is lean, isn't he?
Oh, he is really sucking in the big ones down there.
This course is unbelievably demanding
and Ash seems to have slowed down a bit.
His smaller and lighter frame, working hard here,
as he lifts door two, another 40 kg,
but he can't rush it.
He's got to make sure of every move and there he goes.
The Stingray is living up to his name, isn't here.
LEILA: He glides through the air, he glides through the water.
He won't beat Ashlin's 105,
but we'll see him in tomorrow night's Grand Final
and that's what really matters,
as he makes his way through the third and final door.
Stingray!
The Stingray!
(BUZZER SOUNDS)
Beats the clock!
He is through!
What a polished performance.
You're a legend, Ashley!
A Ninja star is born!
That was a dream run for the 16 year old Ash Campbell.
He took the early lead
and forced Eddie to play catch-up, but he crashed at the Salmon Ladder.
Then Ash flew through the obstacles,
making Spring Forward look more like a playground than a grand final
and he posted the second fastest time of the night,
just 12 seconds behind his mentor, Ashlin Herbert.
This 16 year old is amazing.
What will he be like when he's 22?
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
Well that's a proud family right there,
getting behind their boy as another teen makes it through.
There are three more teenagers left to run,
each with a shot at Grand Final Two.
But standing in their way, some serious Ninja experience.
Coming up, a Ninja that has so far exceeded all expectations
and personally captured my heart
and if you thought David and Goliath was a fight,
you ain't seen nothing yet.
First time ever getting up the wall felt amazing.
He's done it!
Look at the 16-year-old.
Just to hit that buzzer for the first time,
this is what I've dreamt of,
I've been watching every single season,
finally this season I can be on it.
I am the Bin Chicken Ninja
and I'm going to hit that buzzer tonight
and show everyone that I can do it.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
LEILA: Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior.
This season, our overall furthest fastest Ninja,
will score a life-changing $100,000...
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
Summit Mount Midoriyama however and that prize-money doubles
to a mind blowing $200,000.
But getting your hands on the cash
means beating the course and your opponent.
Second chance holder and Ninja legend, Jake Baker,
took on teenager, Minato Thomas
and it was toe-to-toe over the first three obstacles.
Look at these guys, they're swinging in sync!
But the Bowl Cut Ninja mistimed his lache on Spring Forward.
He's running behind and he is in the water!
Oh, he's in the water! He is in the drink.
With the pressure off,
Jake took to the job at hand to beat the course and beat the clock.
He finished with 39 seconds left on the clock,
but not much left in the tank.
Crucially, he carries that piece of insurance,
that second chance advantage with him into Grand Final Two.
The only person crowned Australian Ninja Warrior, Ben Polson,
took on aspiring zoologist, Josh De-Roo,
who took off like a cheater.
And Josh De-Roo, flying out of the gates.
But you don't get to be in Ninja Warrior by giving up
and Ben Polson stepped it up when he needed to,
already out in front.
Josh gave it his all and literally hung on for dear life.
Ben, holding off a valiant attempt, by Josh De-Roo.
(BUZZER SOUNDS)
And Josh gets a round of applause from Ben as he takes a splash.
Ben was masterful through the rest of the course
and he paced himself well,
making it through the Underwater Escape...
Come on, Ben! Yes! He does it!
Ben Polson!
..but he was feeling the effect of nine grand final obstacles.
LEILA: And now it's time for Ben Polson's 17 year old protege.
We've already seen two teenagers
make it to tomorrow night's Grand Final.
Ash Campbell even laid down the second fastest run of the night.
On the start line, Saxon Johnstone...
..up against triple grand finalist and new dad,
the Furbinator, Stuart Furze.
This is another one of those big moments
between the veteran and the fearless teen,
the Ben Polson protege,
the 17 year old who has been so impressive, Leila,
he's hit two walls.
And he's got all the support with his mum, his dad, his sister
and the legend, Ben Polson.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
Jeez, you kind of forget looking at him, he's a teenager.
He is stacked this kid, I tell you what.
The Furbinator, he's the mechanical engineer,
who uses that analytical mind to work his way through these courses.
We are joined tonight by his wife, Ashanti, and baby Miles,
who is just teeny tiny. Oh, look at the little fella.
(BUZZER)
Here we go, they're off on the Sprinting Steps.
Oh, yes, look at them go.
The kid is taking off quickly.
Oh my goodness!
Oh, the Furbinator is down.
Oh, wow, the Furbinator, down in the drink on obstacle two...
Wow!
..as Saxon Johnstone powers ahead.
The Furbinator was just keeping his eye on the right of screen
and could see Saxon getting a little bit ahead.
Whatever the case, he took his eye off of the prize
and he is out
and it is on now for Saxon Johnstone,
up the bar-hop he goes, off of that Salmon Ladder.
And now can he beat the clock?
He's beaten the Furbinator, but that's not all you have to do.
He is just 11 seconds slower than mentor, Ben Polson.
He is on a flyer. He is hungry,
he wants to get ahead,
he wants to come back tomorrow night and finish what he's started here.
He doesn't look like a newbie,
he looks like he's been on this course before.
I mean, it's just alarming that this guy is a kid.
One of eight teens to make it into the Grand Final,
but now on the Spring Forward,
the fifth obstacle, working his lache game
and flowing, flowing, flowing off!
Oh, look at that, one after the other, amazing.
Beautiful.
I turn and face the camera and he's finished the bloody obstacle.
Here he comes, he is heading our way.
Look at the determination on him.
Oh, nice grab.
That was a one-handed grab and this is a quick run.
Just 15 seconds slower than Ben.
Through the first six, Saxon, you are pumping it, buddy.
He is powering along.
Come on, let's go.
308 on the clock to finish three obstacles.
This is the Lightning Bolt.
It's proven to be tricky tonight,
the catch after a 2.5 m lache is tough.
Come on, this is your jam.
Ben Polson on the side, a useful coach.
Oh, he's a little bit off kilter there.
BEN: Take your time. LEILA: Oh, he's fixed it.
JIM: All right, here comes the big hip drive lache.
Yes, nails the first catch.
Oh, it's tricky that bit.
How smooth are these ninjas?
Oh, yes.
And that's where the height, 175 comes in handy.
BOTH: Oh... That looked awkward, but he's up.
Just a little reminder that things can go wrong very quickly,
as Saxon makes his way up to the Triple Corkscrew.
And Leila, he is now beating Ben by 30 seconds.
Be tight when you grab it, you got it.
He's made up time
just getting straight onto those last two obstacles.
Look at that control, nicely done,
but this is where it gets really hard.
These laches need to be big and high to get to the next corkscrew.
Yes, he's nailed it!
One more to go before the Underwater Escape and his time looks good.
This is a big one.
Yeah, nice. And he's held it.
Yes, readjust the position. Oh, look at that.
Just the strength in this kid.
What an absolute gun, this kid is.
Flying through the course.
With just one more obstacle, a wet one to go.
Come on, 118 on the clock,
it should be plenty of time,
but this is an obstacle he has never tackled before.
26 seconds ahead of Ben.
WILL: Come on, Saxon! You got it, mate!
Oh, he's hit his head on the way through there.
LEILA: Oh, is this going to rattle him?
The door closed a bit when he put his hand on it,
he misjudged the opening.
He's going again though, still looks a little squeezy.
Wow.
Jeez, that was tense.
Move it up, let's go.
Saxon Johnstone needs to open those 40 kg doors wider.
He is now only five seconds ahead of Ben Polson.
He's taken longer than it should have to get here.
He needs to be clean through these last two doors,
34 seconds left, no mistakes.
One more to go, one more to go, look at that clock counting down!
Come on, Saxon!
It's genuinely like a scene out of the Titanic.
It is totally... Oh, he just got it!
Come on, now! Come on!
Yes, get up there! Come on!
Get up there! LEILA AND JIM: Yes!
He made it!
It was dicey there for a minute.
Saxon Johnstone.
And guess what, he did that course
4 seconds faster than his mentor, Ben Polson.
Oh, wow.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
Saxon Johnstone, wow, mate.
You are an absolute star.
You've actually beaten Ben for this, by four seconds.
It's not long, but I'll take it.
You'll take it, let's not count the time,
you've got it made, you've beat him.
Saxon Johnstone, just carving his way through the course.
He is here, he's a contender in Ninja Warrior 2022.
Yes, this teen is unbelievable
and we have two more teenagers still to run.
Tonight's final pairs are warming up.
Two epic runs and two legends who desperately want the title.
Will we witness some massive upsets, or will the legends reign supreme?
Plus, Olivia Vivian will use her second chance advantage
and run the course again.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
LEILA: Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior,
here at Sydney Olympic Park,
where we've seen plenty of exciting head-to-head races,
between 2022's best of the best.
There are two races left to run,
plus Olivia Vivian's second chance run
and there's a lot riding on this next one.
The reigning champ has got his sights set on going back to back.
From Victoria, the seemingly unstoppable, Zak Stolz.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
MAN: Oh, look at that!
He holds on.
He's gone and done it again.
Zak Stolz is the Season Five winner!
ZAK: I think to be a reigning champ
and then come back again and try and win,
is a whole new challenge in itself.
Not only do you have to worry about the consistency,
but the strength, the power, the endurance.
It's also the mind games.
I'd love to go back to back this year.
I don't know if that's going to happen
and there is still some incredibly strong competitors out there,
but I'm still going to give it my best crack.
Being one of the eight teens to make the grand final tonight,
is such a big achievement and I'm so proud of myself.
JIM: Can he make it?
He's got it!
LEILA: Goodness!
When I found out I was versing Zak Stolz,
the winner of last year,
I was just shocked.
I was actually a bit scared.
ZAK: I actually watched Kobe's semi
and I thought he absolutely killed it.
So seeing him do that, it's a bit of a statement to me
that I have to get my stuff together, so...
..it could be an interesting one.
JIM: Love these match ups between generations.
Kobe Teede's Ninja mum, on the sidelines.
Yeah, we saw Emma on the course in the heats.
She is right behind her son Kobe tonight, up against Zak Stolz.
Zak's mum, his grandma and his partner, Georgia, on the sideline.
Zak, trying to do what has never been done,
here in Australian Ninja Warrior
and that's go back to back.
And there it is, they both take their time,
arms up in the air and Zak's looking OK with the leg,
so far so good for everybody and Kobe hangs on for one extra spin.
But he's OK.
Can he get through the Cat Grab?
It cost him a bit of time against the Zak Attack
and he can't afford to do that.
Oh huge play by Zak, hitting the two runs in one move.
Kobe's got sideways, he's got to get that one through and he does.
He's still in it.
Oh, he is fluid, Zak Attack.
It's like he's moving through honey.
That would make him go slow. Yeah, but it's smooth.
Zak Stolz, heading towards the Spring Forward.
There he goes, look at those springs.
That is why he is our reigning champion.
Yeah, look at how he is getting close to the inside of it,
the further to the outside you get, the farther you drop.
But Kobe Teede is still on the course as well.
Love that he's through another one.
You've got to be in it to win it, Kobe,
there's always a chance if you don't give up.
Zak taking his time, going through, getting it done.
And yes! Yes!
Kobe is still going, but he needs Zak to fail here at the Warped Wall.
What are the odds of that, Jim,
as he starts his run-up... Very low!
He failed.
Wait. Oh!
Maybe the jinx is still alive.
If this is a knee problem, Zak could be in trouble here.
Imagine that!
Zak on his second attempt.
Oh, the Zak Attack, second attempt at the wall,
smashes that buzzer, two thumbs up and he says, "Come on, Kobe."
Here he goes, get up there.
He's up the wall.
Good on you, Kobe Teede.
Great finish for him
and now it's time for Zak with three minutes and 14 seconds on the clock.
Off he goes, onto the Lightning Bolts.
Mixed grip, Leila and here comes the lache.
Oh, look at that, it's poetry in motion,
as Zak Stolz does the Lightning Bolts.
That's how it's done, a masterclass here.
Yep, his throwing down the thunder on the Lightning Bolts.
Well done. Two more to go.
He just watched these veteran ninjas,
they know themselves and they know a lot of these obstacles.
They've calculated time you would think of what it's going to take,
so getting a little extra time to make sure he's got energy,
'cause it doesn't matter how good you are,
you still feel the burn out here.
You see them too, thinking things through.
The precision.
They know that even the smallest mistake can cost them
and so they're fast, but they've thought it through.
They are precise and look at that, a little rest of the arms.
He's so big, he's got to watch out for his feet when he swings,
that he doesn't hit the corkscrew any further.
He almost hit that with his chin,
but he is definitely feeling it in his arms.
That's experience, isn't it, that resting of one arm.
OK, a minute and a half to get through the Underwater Escape.
Time to get wet.
Come on, come on! Oxygen is difficult.
He is really fighting this.
You see how he wasn't using his left leg very much there either,
protecting that seemingly injured appendage there.
Such a tough one.
Oh, he's squeezing through that door,
on to the second of these doors.
I'm going to be honest, mate,
he does not look comfortable underwater.
No, he is going up for a lot of breaths, isn't he.
That takes it out of our ninjas
and the last thing that their body wants is to go underwater.
He doesn't look comfortable.
That's fair enough, like, this is terrifying.
Zak's up against the clock.
He's going for number three.
Oh...
Full exhale as he pushes through and then just shimmies out.
Come on, Zak!
And he's going to get some oxygen and he's going to get the buzzer.
Come on, big fella.
Yes! Yes!
Will it be back-to-back for Zak Stolz?
He is moving on.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
Zak Stolz, what a Ninja superstar.
He has done it again and look at him there with his family.
He is heading into Grand Final Two.
What a legend.
Now, we've still got Olivia Vivian's second chance run to come,
but it's time for the final pair of ninjas
and it's a matchup of David and Goliath proportions.
Bryson Klein, one of the Ninja elites,
up against a Ninja with absolutely nothing to lose.
Give it up for the Bin Chicken Ninja, John Sterio.
16 years old and 45 kg
and up against his hero, Bryson Klein.
Do a chicken dance for me, Woods.
Here he is. I'll support the chicken,
this bloke has captured the hearts of Australia, the Bin Chicken.
and he is up against someone very hard, Bryson Klein is clinical.
He is actually supporting the Bin Chicken,
which is interesting, when you're taking them on in a race.
I've got to ask the question, Jim,
how does John Sterio beat one of the best ninjas in Australia?
It's going to be tough, but it's all about pressure,
either soaking it up, or applying it.
Sometimes the underdog wins.
(BUZZER SOUNDS) And here they go,
the Bin Chicken taking a final glance at his hero
as they head across and they're on the Launchpad to Eagle,
there goes Bryson, there goes John.
Oh, he's missed his dismount, but there he goes.
He is off and they are heading over to the Cat Grab.
Bryson is already across...
..and he's heading up the Salmon Ladder as John Sterio gets across...
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
He did a front flip!
Oh, that's amazing! I cannot, that's a first.
Might not be enough,
'cause Bryson Klein is manhandling these bars,
but look at him go.
He's hanging in there, the Chicken.
Yeah, John has got work to do to chase down Bryson,
he is already on the dismount and he is charging ahead on this course.
Come on, Chook. Fly chicken!
Oh, no!
Oh, the Chicken!
John stereo splashes down, but he has left a mark on Ninja this year.
What a performance.
It's all Bryson Klein now, this Ninja wants the title so badly.
He's at the Warped Wall.
The rest of this run should be a clinic on how to get the job done.
Up he goes, he drives,
handles it
and he'll hit the buzzer
and get a little break.
Oh, wow, isn't that fantastic,
his Bin Chicken shirt proudly shown to the crowd.
Bryson Klein, the scuttle bug among the ninjas, as it's his year.
Could be. It could be, Leila.
He was number one in his heat, he was fastest in the Power Pool
and with just under three minutes, time shouldn't be an issue.
OK, you've got it.
The crowd cheering him on as he heads onto the Lightning Bolts
and he's over the first one.
He's got to lache across.
Look at that control.
Onto number two of the Mixed Grip. Yep.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
He's handling it.
Here comes another big lache, thrust the hips,
good catch and he'll be able to lache right off of that one
and he is on to the Triple Corkscrew.
Shake it out!
Yeah, Bryson is making good time,
so to John Sterio, who has caught up with Will and Woody
down on the sideline.
Johnny Bin Chicken, he is wearing a Bin Chicken supporter tee,
so at least the chook is still getting up there,
how do you feel about that? I feel it's amazing,
we've still got one big Bin Chicken running the course.
The big Bin Chook.
Oh, he almost hit his chin on that one he lached up so high.
20 seconds off Ashlin's pace.
Talk me through what he is working through here, Johnny.
He is trying to get a nice momentum, just taking his time.
It's very tiring on the arms.
He is just trying to preserve energy
and boom, he made it.
And boom. You got that?
Boom. Boom.
LEILA: Great insight from the sidelines there,
as Bryson Klein looks ready to bring this run home.
Just 15 seconds slower than Ashlin now,
this is fast, as he pulls that 40 kg door back,
handles the first gate, here comes number two.
This is a mentally tough obstacle,
you want to go fast, but the water slows you down.
If you try to go too fast, that's where things go wrong.
One to go.
Geez, how are your muscles feeling at this stage, John?
Oh, they're feeling relaxed.
No, but what about Bryson's muscles at this stage?
Oh, they must be burning. They must be burning.
Not your muscles! (LAUGHTER)
LEILA: Muscles and lungs will be burning, well done, Bryson.
JIM: What a performance from Bryson, second fastest time of the night.
Only nine seconds behind Ashlin.
Yes! He is heading through, Bryson Klein.
Is he going to go the whole way?
Oh, he'll take it straight to Mount Midoriyama, that's for sure.
(TRIUMPHANT MUSIC)
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
That brings us to the end of our head-to-head races,
but when we return,
Olivia Vivian and her second chance advantage take the course.
Will she be Ninja number 12
and the only female to make tomorrow night's Grand Final?
(GRAND MUSIC)
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
JIM: Throughout the night,
we've seen 36 amazing ninjas racing against each other
in epic head-to-head battles...
..and against the clock.
11 ninjas have already made it to tomorrow's final night of action.
Could it be 12?
And will that Ninja be the only female?
Now, in this final act,
we have our fingers crossed for a Ninja
who is in her own race against time.
Earlier this evening, Ninja favourite, Olivia Vivian,
had an epic splash out on the Lightning Bolts.
No! LEILA: This has not happened.
But as she topped the leaderboard in her semi-final,
she was the lucky recipient of a second chance advantage.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
That means she'll run the course again
with a second chance to beat the clock
and make it to Grand Final Stage Two.
Let's see if she can do it.
She's had the warmup run, she knows what she needs to do.
Fans are still here, ready for her.
Make it count, make it count.
Yeah, there'd be some unable to handle the pressure,
but if anybody can do it, it's Olivia Vivian.
You know what to do.
Five minutes and 10 seconds to complete all nine obstacles.
(BUZZER SOUNDS)
Come on, Olivia Vivian, across the Sprinting Steps,
she wants to be the first woman up Mount Midoriyama
and she is on the Eagle's Claw, she's off,
she's up to a great start, onto the Cat Grab.
This shouldn't trouble her, it's a hop skip and jump
for the Queen of Australian Ninja Warrior, nicely done.
You can almost feel the pressure on her here.
Here comes the Salmon Ladder.
Let's go, lock it in.
Oh, look at her hands. One over, one under.
That's what she says she'll try to do
if she gets to the Lightning Bolts
to stop that cursed bar from rotating.
I just love her efficiency and her focus.
Once she is on the course and she is moving, she is precise.
It's unusual to see a mistake from Olivia.
And she was flawless in her heats
and was the fastest in her semis.
Tonight, I'm sure will have sharpened her up even more.
And she often says, it's not how you fall, it's how you get back up.
She'll be keen to destroy this course.
That's it, shake it out.
She is just mowing down these obstacles
and taking very little time off of the clock,
just about a minute to get through four.
Olivia Vivian is using her second chance run
as she hits Spring Forward.
She can't make a mistake now.
But she looks like she's on a mission.
Oh, look at her go!
When she's got that flow, she's amazing!
Wow, that was incredible!
Wasn't it just?
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
She is on the way to the wall.
Here she goes.
(AUDIENCE CHANTS) Beat the wall!
Come on, Olivia, come on. Come on!
Yes, Olivia. Oh yes, Olivia Vivian.
That's the first part of her challenge done
and she's done it easily.
A solid run over six obstacles.
Now to get to Grand Final Stage Two,
three obstacles stand in her way.
This is the chance.
Olivia will be nervous here.
This is where she came off and time is tight.
She is about 20 seconds slower than her first run.
She needs to dig deep.
The safety of that three-minute mark has passed.
Here she goes.
All right, next grip,
she talked about wanting to grab this catch with a mixed grip,
let's see if she can do it. Come on, Olivia, come on!
No, no!
Not again! The same spot got her.
Oh, again.
Exactly the same spot,
tried the mixed grip that time
and couldn't catch it.
That hurts.
Just silence, isn't there? Everyone is shocked.
Yeah.
There is a real hush over the crowd here.
We're gutted.
Olivia Vivian is out. Can you believe it?
She is such an inspiration.
Well done, babe.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
Let's have a look at what happened.
She said first time around, it's a big lache
and she wanted to catch it mixed grip,
with one hand over and one hand under,
to stop the bar from turning.
But keep an eye on her left hand.
She just bumps the bar on the way to grab it
and that made it even harder to catch.
But let's not forget how amazing her semi-final run was.
She beat all the boys.
It's not the prize she was after, but it was impressive none the less
and she will be back.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
What an unexpected ending in a night full of shocks and iconic moments.
It sure was, Leila.
We began the night with 36 battle hard ninjas.
We had 18 pulse pounding, head-to-head races,
but only those who proved themselves worthy
get to take their next steps towards Mount Midoriyama,
the title of the next Australian Ninja Warrior
and the $200,000 prize.
These are the 11 ninjas,
who after completing the brutal Grand Final Stage One course,
will join us again tomorrow night.
Of the 11 ninjas, three of them are teenagers.
They are snapping at the heels of the legends.
Daniel Watermann sneaking in,
with four seconds left on the clock,
Saxon Johnstone also making Grand Final Two in his debut season.
The Stingray, Ash Campbell, leads the attack of the teens
with a very impressive run.
Are they getting set to take over?
If they are,
they'll have to topple the likes of the fastest ninjas tonight,
Bryson Klein and Ashlin Herbert.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
JIM: So tomorrow night,
one Ninja is guaranteed to win an incredible $100,000.
Conquer Mount Midoriyama and that prize-money doubles to 200,000
and we'll crown the Australian Ninja Warrior champion for 2022.
Join us tomorrow night for what promises to be an epic conclusion
to the greatest Australian Ninja Warrior season of them all.
Until then... BOTH: Goodnight.
(TRIUMPHANT MUSIC)
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
Australia...
..this is the big one.
Oh, wow!
The might of Midoriyama
is unleashed.
It's a 20 metre rock-climb to its summit.
The most thrilling Grand Finale night...
This is exciting! This is insane!
..ever.
Get up there! He's gonna do it!
Yes! Yes! Unbelievable!
Must-see event TV...
Then...
Yes!
..more records will be smashed...
He's got it!