Original subtitles

BEN FORDHAM: In 2020...

BEC MADDERN: You are a hero, Zac Stolz!

Charlie Robbins, you are now the one to beat!

..they proved themselves worthy...

Look at the arms pumping! Look at the legs pumping!

..and conquered the mountain.

(KLAXON BLARES)

The first Australian Ninja Warrior is Ben Polson!

This year, vengeance is coming

because Mount Midoriyama is angry.

It'll do everything within its power to fight back.

This year, it's really got a score to settle.

It's intimidating.

I'm thinking, "What am I doing here?"

Mount Midoriyama is angry but so am I!

In a brand-new location...

Welcome to Sydney's Olympic Park.

..the mountain has grown.

A 7-metre chimney sweep, a 7-metre salmon ladder, a 7-metre rope climb!

That is a monster.

This is much, much harder than what it was last year.

The new obstacles are tougher than ever.

Supersized and supercharged.

Oh, no!

More intricate, more unique.

That was extraordinary!

It's just an absolute beast.

(DRAMATIC GROANS)

And the courses are divided.

If they want to complete the journey to the foot of the mountain,

they must make a choice -

the path of known obstacles or the faster but unknown path.

How much better can Ninja get?

Do you want to play it safe? Do you want to play it hard?

Ninja Warrior's given us the power.

Really shakes things up.

Both are equally as terrifying.

If you choose the wrong path, it could be ultimate doom.

Oh, no!

So, they must choose wisely.

Can the ninjas rise up and defeat the mountain?

I'm certainly gonna take it on in every way that I can.

Mount Midoriyama, I'm coming for you.

We welcome Nick Kyrgios to the commentary team.

He's killing it.

There's a new, even more daunting Power Tower

with a golden ticket to the Grand Final at stake,

and $100,000 on offer for this series' furthest fastest

or 200 grand if they can conquer the mountain.

Holy moly.

That is big.

They've come from all over the country...

A bit of an unconventional ninja, ready to give the course a crack.

..and their lives will be changed forever.

Oh, my goodness me! You good thing!

Dreams will be realised...

We've got a new contender right here!

..and a new crop of ninjas will emerge and make their mark.

They're saying around town, "Are you gonna put Boggabri on the map?"

I'm like, "Yeah, definitely."

Just gonna have a listen to your heart, OK?

I am a medical doctor.

Unknowingly, I've been training for Ninja Warrior my whole life.

It's our biggest series yet.

Yay! Yes, yes, yes!

Ooh, he's a machine, mate.

Welcome to Australian Ninja Warrior.

Oh, my goodness! What about that!

What did I just witness?

(LOUD CHEERING)

(FIREWORKS CRACKING)

Hello and welcome to a brand-new season of Australian Ninja Warrior.

I'm Bec Maddern.

I'm Ben Fordham.

Tonight, we're at Sydney Olympic Park,

home to so many sporting memories and legends

that our ninjas hope to add to over the next few weeks.

Strap yourself in for a blockbuster night of Ninja Warrior.

After an unprecedented three ninjas

made it to the summit of Mount Midoriyama last year,

this season,

the mount that towers over the course is back

and absolutely furious.

The course this year has been redesigned with one thing in mind,

and that is revenge.

The toughest obstacles we've ever devised

and an element of unpredictability

our ninjas won't have encountered before.

Our ninjas are now able to pick their path to the Warped Wall,

the known path via lane A or the unknown path via lane B.

To tell us more, we're thrilled to be joined once again

by the one and only Shane Crawford.

Thanks, Bec and Ben.

I'm here at the crossroads

where the ninjas need to make a really tough decision.

Do they go path A or do they go path B?

A are obstacles known to the ninjas.

B are obstacles never seen on Australian Ninja Warrior before.

Both paths lead up the Warped Wall and to the finishing buzzer.

So, what's it going to be?

Is it going to be A or is it going to be B?

We'll have to wait and see.

Thank you, Crawf, and, tomorrow night,

he'll be joined by superstar Nick Kyrgios on the sidelines.

OK, let's take a look at the rest of the obstacles

the ninjas have to confront.

Mount Midoriyama is throwing everything at the ninjas,

right from the very first obstacle.

Five Shrinking Steps going from 25cm,

the width of a dinner plate, down to the size of a saucer.

(GASPING AND KLAXON)

Next, the Big Dipper to Pole Rider.

It demands rock-solid grip strength

as ninjas hang on down a 5-metre track

before a do-or-die leap onto the suspended pole.

The Cyclone Spinner is obstacle three,

and our ninjas have never faced anything like this before.

Using the hand and footholds to wedge themselves in, they'll rely

on core strength to survive four complete 360-degree rotations.

Three obstacles down, three to go,

and it's time for the all-important decision.

Ninjas must pick a path to the Warped Wall - path A or path B.

The first of the known obstacles on path A

is the Flying Shelf Grab, an extreme upper-body challenge.

Three hanging shelves over two metres apart to lache across,

landing on ledges just fingertips wide.

The upper-body pain continues on the brutal Floating Monkey.

Ninjas must cross six frames

using the detachable monkey bars to swing through.

Miss the cradle, though, and their entire body weight is all on one arm.

The path B obstacles are appearing

for the first time on Australian Ninja Warrior.

On the Ring Chaser, ninjas must use all their speed

on the monkey bars to race and catch a large rolling ring.

They'll then use that ring on the first of two tricky laches.

Precision is paramount on the skyhooks.

Miss or drop the large ring,

and their only option is the much tougher second-chance ring.

On Clockwork,

ninjas must cross three interconnected cogs

by using the red handles, but swinging on one cog moves them all,

and, with upper-body muscles burning,

the lache becomes a high-stakes leap of faith.

The Warped Wall is back,

but, you'd better believe it,

it's bigger and tougher than ever before.

Now at 4.35 metres tall, it's a full ten centimetres higher,

which could make all the difference getting to that buzzer.

Nearly 200 ninjas will start the four heats,

but only the top 19 in each heat will progress to the Semi-Finals.

And, after that, there are two huge Grand Finals.

But, tonight, the race is on for more than just a semi-final spot.

At the end of the night, our two furthest fastest ninjas

will go head to head.

For a massive advantage,

it'll be one on one on one final obstacle, the Power Tower.

Yep, it's ninja versus ninja

on the biggest, baddest Power Tower we've ever seen.

On the line is an incredible fast pass

right through the semi-finals straight into the grand final,

a massive step closer to becoming 2021's Australian Ninja Warrior.

OK, the course is waiting, the crowd is pumped.

We're pumped. I'm pumped.

The ninjas are pumped, everybody's pumped,

so let's kick the action off with our first ninja of the night.

(BIRD CALLS)

I'm Cruze, I'm 18 and I'm from Boggabri, NSW.

It's a very small country town.

You know everyone so you walk down the street

and you're like, "Oh, hey, Jack, hey, Bill."

Go, Cruze! Have a go!

Go! Hey!

I am the biggest Australian Ninja Warrior fan.

I've watched it since Season 1.

I would've been about 14, 15,

and I was like, "I want to do that but I'm not 18 yet, so..."

Everyone has said to me that I can't be a ninja

because, living in a small town, we didn't have really many resources,

we only had the park to train,

so I was mostly just at the monkey bars every day.

So, I started building my own ninja gym.

(MAJESTIC MUSIC)

We've got the Chimney Sweep.

We've got the floating ladders.

We've got the candlesticks.

We've got the floating rings.

We've also got a picture of Benny Polson.

Ben Polson is definitely my biggest idol.

He's been a big motivation for me.

When I finally turned 18, I quickly applied.

Cruze. How you goin'?

When Ben called, I was like, "Wow!"

I was like... I was very surprised.

I'm actually here to tell you

that you have officially been accepted on the show Ninja Warrior.

(WOMEN SCREAMS) You are on!

Oh, Ben! Oh, my god!

Welcome to the show!

Oh!

Yeah, thanks, Ben.

You got me good.

Go, Boggy Ninja!

The whole town definitely will get behind me.

KIDS: Go, Boggy Ninja!

They're saying around town, "Are you gonna put Boggabri on the map?"

I'm like, "Yeah, definitely."

Tonight, all my ninja dreams are coming true.

I finally get to step out, inspire and represent Boggabri.

(LOUD CHEERING)

He's had to wait for over four years for this moment,

but now he is here, the first ninja of season 2021.

He's got the whole of Boggabri behind him, the Boggy Ninja.

Questionable name.

It is, Crawf, six hours north-west of Sydney, a population of 856.

I think most of them are here at Olympic Park tonight.

Yep.

Lots of support on the sidelines, Ben.

That's his mum, Karen, brother Finlay and the big boss, Pete.

He's built his own ninja course in his shed in Boggabri,

but he's a long way from home now.

A big, big challenge in front of him.

Just 18 years of age, the youngest ninja in this year's competition.

Where's that buzzer? There it is. Here we go.

The Shrinking Steps - they're tiny and they get higher.

Over!

No problem for Cruze, he's off and running.

Yeah, he's looking good.

And have a look who's in the crowd with some advice.

You've got this, bro.

His idol, Ben Polson.

He has been watching Ben on past Ninja seasons,

thinking, "One day, I want to do that."

But there was a catch for Cruze.

He had to wait till he turned 18.

So young, so much opportunity.

This has been a dream for years,

but, the Big Dipper to Pole Rider, it could be a nightmare.

He needs to get the perfect grip and fly down the 5-metre track.

And then... Oh!

Make the jump, yes.

Come on, Cruzey!

Late on the pole but he makes it.

Go!

That was an epic save. That was super fast.

Oh, his heart must be pumping now in his chest,

and, the Cyclone Spinner, it's gonna make it even pump harder.

Now, he needs to get flat against that disc

and use all the core strength you've got.

Easier said than done.

He's gotta make sure his hands and feet are in the right place.

Let's have a look at his hand position.

Ooh... He's not too sure about it.

Off he goes.

Oh, no, I think he went too early. He's a bit shaky up the top.

He is a bit shaky. He's a bit shaky.

He's a bit nervy, understandably, but doesn't matter.

Oh! Oh, no!

Get up, get up, get up, get up, get up, yes!

Just!

The dream still alive for Cruze Morley.

Whew!

Oh, indeed, Crawf. This is unbelievable.

The 18-year-old country boy

has fought his way past the first three obstacles,

and now he will be the first-ever ninja

to pick a path to the Warped Wall.

It's make-your-mind-up time.

Cruze would've seen some of the path A obstacles on his TV before.

He's trained for them back in the shed at Boggabri,

so he knows how tough they are.

Path B's faster, but he'll have to make it up as he goes

because these obstacles have never been seen before.

A, go A!

This is a massive decision.

He's gone A.

OK, he has chosen path A, obstacles we have seen before,

but Mount Midoriyama has really been nasty with these two.

We're going to learn a lot more about this young man

on the Flying Shelf Grab, Bec.

He's gotta lache across three shelves,

each over two metres apart, with only 2.5cm to grab onto.

Oh!

And just watch the middle shelf because it's higher than the rest.

Come on, Cruze!

Here he goes on the parallel bars. Get that grip.

Starts driving those hips up towards the first lache.

Great form.

Look at his form in terms of the arms.

We know that, when the arm is actually outstretched,

it means you're tiring, but there's a nice bend in that arm.

He's got plenty of muscle, plenty of grip.

What's the catch like? He gets it.

Where's this kid come from?

The landing - spot on, Bec.

Yes! Got it!

When someone's been waiting

for their 18th birthday to join the competition,

when someone's built their own ninja gym in the shed,

when someone's put a photo of Ben Polson up in that ninja gym,

you know he's dreamed it, you know he believes it.

And then putting that into motion, and he's doing it tonight

in front of his family and friends, and Ben Polson's here, as well.

What a moment for the young 18-year-old.

What has Cruze got left in the upper body for the Floating Monkey?

He needs to grab the detachable monkey bars,

place them in the hanging cradles and then swing across.

And he cannot afford to miss.

And, if you're in Boggabri tonight, you need to know that your boy

is just metres away from the Warped Wall, and booking himself a place...

Oh, little miss, little miss,

couldn't handle the pressure of the miss.

He's ended up in the bog.

Oh, what a great effort from Cruze Morley, though.

18 years of age, first time on Australian Ninja Warrior,

and Ben Polson, his idol, is standing up,

applauding his effort tonight, as is the whole of Australia.

What a remarkable run from a first-time ninja.

It sadly came to an end on the penultimate obstacle.

He had the detachable bar.

He just couldn't get it in that cradle,

and, once he missed, all his body weight was on one arm.

It was just too much.

Congratulations, Cruze.

You've been a big fan since the age of, what, 12, 13, 14?

Yeah, 13, 14. Definitely, yeah.

And then I'm finally here, a dream come true.

A dream come true.

I know you've got a lot of love out there

for one ninja who conquered Mount Midoriyama last year.

His name is Ben Polson.

And he was in the stands giving you a bit of coaching.

Yeah, I love that he's here for the motivation.

Thanks, Benny.

Put your hands together for the Boggy Ninja, Cruze.

Well done, mate.

Oh, he had to wait a long time for his opportunity, but Cruze Morley

has grabbed it with both hands, and done Boggabri proud.

No doubt about it.

What a start to tonight's Heat 1 action

where Mount Midoriyama is raging.

And our next ninja is going to have to use all of her fighting spirit.

It's Viviana Ruiz.

My name is Viviana Ruiz.

I'm 38 years old.

I'm originally from Colombia.

Growing up in Colombia was difficult.

It was a scary time.

We have to fight to stay safe,

and there was so many terrorism, so many deaths.

Sometimes, you say goodbye to your mum and your dad,

and you didn't know if they were gonna come back so it was very hard.

So, I knew I had to do something to help my family,

so moving to Australia

has just created a big opportunity for me,

but I didn't speak the language, I was without friends, without family.

You become very lonely and sad.

Then, I start drinking too much, um, going out all the time,

and forgot that I was here because I wanted to help my family.

And that's why I decided to join a gym.

That's when I found boxing.

I just become a professional boxer.

I had my first professional fight, and I won by TKO - amazing.

Boxing found me and it saved my life.

It made me remember that I have a fighter inside of me.

Oh, she is ready to knock this course out.

Straight from Colombia.

We know she's tough, Crawf, we know she's determined, but Viviana

has never faced an opponent like this Ninja Warrior course.

Will she still be standing at the end?

Her partner of eight years, Ben, standing on the sideline.

He'll be nervous, too. Come on, Viviana!

Vamos, Colombia!

(KLAXON SOUNDS) Here we go.

Viviana begins her Ninja Warrior...

Oh, hang on a moment. Oh, no!

She's stuck on an island.

What's she gonna do, what's she gonna do?

Run! Run!

Big jump, big jump! What's she gonna do?

Oh! Oh!

Wow!

That's spectacular!

What about that!

Come on!

That was fantastic!

She just got back up off the canvas.

That's all the boxing, the footwork and the balance.

Take your time, Viviana.

That is a great sense of relief.

The nerves get to you.

Your legs feel like jelly,

and they make it oh, so hard, even though it's the first obstacle.

But, Bec, the hits keep on coming.

Remember, Cruze Morley had issues with the Big Dipper to Pole Rider.

Can Viviana hang on?

Here she comes, down the dip!

Oh! Oh!

No, it was all wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong from the start.

Good work!

Oh, well.

What a save that was on the Shrinking Steps after the right leg buckled.

Viviana just couldn't quit.

Regaining her balance, she made it home.

But the Big Dipper punishes even the slightest error, and

dropping off the platform instead of pushing just jolted the bar,

extending her arms out and it left her falling short.

A knockout blow to Viviana's hopes,

but now, at Sydney Olympic Park, in the footsteps of sporting greats,

it's time for a Ninja Warrior legend to take on the mountain.

Our next ninja has been responsible for creating memories on this show

that will stick with everyone who's ever seen her in action.

Now she returns.

Please be up standing for the one and only Olivia Vivian!

Whoo-hoo!

Season 4 - magic, season 4!

Became the first female in Australia

to complete stage one of the Grand Final.

Slams down! You legend!

Whoo! You are remarkable, Olivia Vivian!

Oh!

She hits the buzzer!

Hitting a buzzer is unreal,

but being the first female to hit it in a grand final

was just game-changing for me, and a moment that I'm really proud of.

And into the history books she goes.

I definitely feel the weight of expectations.

I really, truly believe you've gotta unleash that self-belief.

I know the course is tougher than ever.

Oh! She's hurt her back!

But so am I.

No, she's OK.

I want a female Ninja Warrior champion, and that's the goal.

Yes!

What the hell is she doing?

I'm here to do my best and spread a good message,

and inspire generations of women and young kids

and everyone across Australia...

Yes, Olivia!

..because it changed my life,

and I believe it could possibly change someone else's.

(WILD CHEERING)

Whoo-hoo!

Oh, come on!

(BEC LAUGHS)

Get out of town.

That is why we love her.

Not only is she an incredible athlete, she likes to entertain.

Yeah, well, she is feeling the pressure, and she spoke earlier

about how worried she is about the new course, but what does she do?

Comes out and does a handstand.

Do you know, also, the crazy thing about Olivia Vivian this year?

She told me that she has never felt better.

Beware, ninjas, beware.

This ninja right here is an inspiration,

not just to little girls, to any ninja out there.

Sit back and enjoy this, Australia. This is gonna be good.

Come on, Liv, focus, focus.

There is her boyfriend, Ben Polson, on the sidelines.

He'll be a massive support throughout her run.

And there we go.

In the crowd, more Ninja royalty, Bryson Klein and Fred Dorrington.

Fred won't be competing this year due to a back injury.

Good luck, Fred, but this is Olivia Vivian, a grand finalist

for three years running, stage two in the grand final last year.

The first big gun to face Mount Midoriyama.

Can she go all the way this year?

Here she goes, Olivia Vivian on the Shrinking Steps.

Need to focus on every single foot placement.

Shows a clean pair of heels.

She looked focused there.

I'm sensing a real determination.

Olivia! (CHANTING)

Here we go. She's going with the mixed grip.

Gotta nail the release, nail the release.

Yes, no problem for Olivia.

And just remember, yes, she is one of our most experienced ninjas,

but it's just a slip in concentration

and it could be all over, and that is especially true

on this very obstacle, the Cyclone Spinner,

which requires full body coordination.

Hands into place, feet into place and now we start to roll.

Olivia is a former gymnast, so this won't be too uncomfortable for her.

And she makes it to the mat on the Cyclone Spinner,

and now she's at the crossroads,

a new experience for our ninjas this year.

Will it be path A or path B?

Which way is the champion ninja going to go?

She'll go the new obstacles. Eenie-meenie-miney-moe.

That's right, she's gone the new obstacles.

She'll go the new obstacles.

For the first time ever, we are heading down path B.

I told you she's never felt better, Ben.

She's really backing herself this year,

confident she can adapt to whatever Mount Midoriyama throws at her.

Well, next up is the Ring Chaser.

She'll have to be lightning fast

on the monkey bars to catch the ring before it drops.

Then, she needs laser focus

to lache across two sets of really small skyhooks.

There's no room for error.

Oh, my god!

She looked up at the ladder.

She's only really tiny, Olivia Vivian.

She said, "Oh, my god!"

It's a long way from that springboard.

It's so high!

It is so high up.

You've gotta get a really good bounce going.

She's had tramp troubles in the past, as well.

She's really gotta nail this bounce.

This is the edge-of-your-seat situation.

Here she goes!

So now Olivia Vivian hits the monkey bars, places that ring, gets it.

Oh, she slipped.

Oh, my goodness, what a moment of panic

when that ring comes down to meet you at the end of the tilting bars.

So classy in the air, isn't she, Olivia Vivian?

You've gotta be spot on with your aim.

You've gotta have...

Oh!

Oh, no, she slipped off, Olivia Vivian.

Unbelievable scenes here at Australian Ninja Warrior.

Olivia Vivian is in the water on obstacle four,

and, that, it could be curtains for her entire season.

Oh, my goodness.

It was the backswing that got her, and you can see on the replay,

when she went for the backswing, she just went a little bit too far.

Yes, that was the moment that it overshot the hook,

and put Olivia Vivian into the pool.

Not what she'd wanted, not what she was planning for.

A huge shock, Crawf.

There's a towel. Thank you.

Tell us where you think it went wrong.

I was more worried about the tramp jump and I was stoked to get there,

but this is Ninja and this is what it's all about.

I knew I could've taken route A, obstacles that I've done,

but it just didn't sit right in my gut today.

I love playing on new things.

Obviously, you don't know what it's like until you're up there.

That is the heart of Ninja for me,

and I wanted to come out here and treat it like a playground,

and I'm really proud of myself for choosing the more difficult route.

I know you'll be very disappointed but you shouldn't be

because you are an absolute inspiration

not only to all the girls out there

but to everyone who watches the show, you really are.

Well, we didn't expect that, the Ring Chaser

has taken out one of the very best ninjas.

Mount Midoriyama has claimed a huge star early in Heat 1,

and the reality is there's a real danger

Olivia Vivian will not make the semis.

Coming up, last year, three ninjas scaled the summit.

This time, Mount Midoriyama has gone to a whole new level.

The quest to become champion begins tonight with bold new challenges.

The size of that crowd will help me tackle the course.

I'm feeling really ready to conquer tonight.

I want to prove to the world that I can do it,

that all smaller guys can do it.

And battle-tested returning heroes.

I've trained so hard for this moment,

I know what I'm capable of and it's gonna be full steam ahead.

I'm the champ, I won last year, I can go in with confidence.

For me, my goal is to come back and back it up.

I've put blood, sweat and tears into this.

Mount Midoriyama is angry but so am I!

Welcome back to a brand-new season of Australian Ninja Warrior.

We're at Sydney Olympic Park,

the scene of many titanic sporting struggles,

and where Mount Midoriyama's fury is unleashed - our toughest ever course.

But our 2021 crop of ninjas

are ready to give it everything they've got.

And our next athlete has overcome huge adversity before,

leaving war-torn West Africa as a child

to find a new life in Australia.

We didn't see the best of him last year.

Now he's back to settle the score.

He's from Melbourne. It's Melvin Solo.

We love Melvin.

For 12 months, he's thought of nothing else but getting back here,

and he's in the best shape of his life, cut up.

I can see that.

Yep.

He's trained himself for this moment right now.

He wants to go all the way.

Come on, let's get behind him.

Come on, Melvin.

Hi, I'm Melvin Solo.

I'm 22 years of age.

I'm a refugee from West Africa.

Coming from, like, a war-torn country was very hard.

When I found out that, my family and myself,

we were going to Australia,

it felt like, honestly, winning, like, the lottery.

Here he comes, the Solo Ninja, he's pumped!

Listen to that crowd!

Last year was amazing, you know, getting on the stage.

(CHEERING)

People screaming my name, my supporters,

it was so alive, it was so surreal.

I don't think I've heard a support crew making this much noise.

I lost my balance and I just went in the water.

Oh, no! He's in the water!

No! Oh!

Since I was last on Ninja Warrior,

I've had so many people from across the world, refugees,

that have come up to me, asking me some questions, and just

motivated by my story, and I've been helping kids train for Ninja.

Good stuff.

And that's gonna give me the energy and motivation to keep pushing.

That's why I do all the things I do.

It makes me want to fight harder

and do my best for myself and for them, as well.

You know, this is a comeback for me.

I'm back and better, hungrier.

I've put blood, sweat and tears into this.

I've been training day and night.

I am lighter, fitter and faster than last year.

I'm not gonna let down all those people that look up to me.

Mount Midoriyama is angry but so am I!

It is hard not to love this guy.

He's a true inspiration.

Grandma Jill over there giving him a lot of coaching from the sidelines.

You can do it, mate!

Let's go.

(KLAXON SOUNDS)

The good news for Melvin, no Bridge of Blades this year,

but the Shrinking Steps, but he's past them.

Phew, he had trouble with his balance last year.

One down for Melvin.

Onto the Big Dipper to Pole Rider.

He's going the mixed grip - one hand under, one hand over.

That'll give him more control!

He gets there.

Cyclone Spinner time.

And this is all about grip, this is all about core strength.

You need to get your body as flat to that disc as possible,

and make sure you've got your feet and your hands in those wedges,

locked in.

Get your feet in!

I don't think that foot's wedged in.

You gotta get it in more.

Wedge it in, wedge in that foot.

Ooh! Oh, no! Oh, no.

Oh! No, gone.

Oh, no.

Oh! Not happy.

His foot wasn't wedged in.

Oh! Whoa!

Yeah, that's not good.

The key is wedging your hands and feet into the clips,

and then pushing against them, keeping the pressure on the disc,

but Melvin just didn't get his feet in far enough,

which is why, the moment the first turn tipped over, his legs fell out.

So, it is back to the drawing board for Melvin.

I've got a feeling, though, he'll be back again

more experienced and more determined than ever.

You said that last year, Bec.

This new course has got everyone in a spin, but our next ninja

thinks she can find the formula to make the breakthrough.

Here's Darcy Elliston.

I'm Darcy, I'm 22

and I'm an assistant researcher at a biotech company.

I have a degree in biochemistry and microbiology,

and I have an honours degree in protein engineering

and optogenetics.

We look at developing new antibody therapies

towards debilitating diseases.

It's a pretty rewarding job and I really enjoy it.

I love science, but people would be surprised

to find out I also am a national weightlifter,

currently second in Australia for my weight class and my age.

Whoo! Oh!

I think there's a lot of stigma

about you can't be strong and you can't be smart.

Oh!

But I think I'm a pretty good representation

that you can definitely put your mind to it and be both.

And, hopefully, in a few weeks, I'll be Australia's next Ninja Warrior.

(CHEERING)

I don't think we've ever had a scientist on top of the Warped Wall.

I'll check with our research department, Bec.

Her mum, Claire, is a biology teacher, as well,

so plenty of smarts in this family.

Oh, yeah, darl. Come on, Darcy.

Has she got the brains and the brawn to turn the theory into practice?

Has to switch on straight away on the Shrinking Steps.

We know it only takes one slip.

Wow, comes out of the blocks with a bang.

That's a confident start.

She is used to the bright lights of competition.

She's a competitive weightlifter, currently ranked second

in Olympic lifting clean-and-jerk snatch for under-23-year-old women.

And she knows how important it is to find the right grip on the bar.

She'll have lots of upper-body strength.

Can she time the dismount?

No pressure.

Ooh... Yes, Darcy!

Yes! Well done.

Whoo!

Yeah, that is two down for Darcy, but next up is this killer obstacle,

the Cyclone Spinner,

causing all sorts of problems for our ninjas this evening.

I think she's gonna be fine on the Cyclone Spinner.

I think her core strength will see her through here.

And look at the muscles on the back.

But that's the real crucial part.

I don't know if her foot's wedged in enough.

Does she have the foot grip? I don't know.

Ooh! I'm nervous.

We'll know within 2.5 seconds.

Melvin Solo paid the price for foot placement.

Darcy's leg comes flying off. Can she...?

Hold on, keep going, this is fantastic, what a comeback.

Hold on, don't let go! Oh, no!

Oh! What a save! Oh!

Come on, yes!

What an effort.

Wow, it's next to impossible to save yourself on the Cyclone Spinner,

but Darcy Elliston does, and now she has the chance to pick her own path.

It's a huge equation for the scientist, A or B, known or unknown.

She's chosen lane A, the path known,

obstacles that we've seen before, and these are very, very tough.

Flying Shelf Grab followed by the Floating Monkey

and then you've gotta have enough energy to get up the Warped Wall,

which is ten centimetres higher this year.

It's a massive challenge. It starts right here.

Three shelves to get across, two metres apart.

The middle one, 20 centimetres higher.

She's a weightlifter so I'm backing her in here.

She's gonna have plenty of upper body strength.

How's her grip strength, though?

I think it's gonna be good, but, when you back people in, they...

Don't do that.

Don't be silly now.

No, I'm telling you... Don't be silly, she's alright.

Darcy Elliston, we want you up the wall tonight.

The arms are fully extended.

This must be hurting.

Can she get up to the highest shelf?

Oh, it's the Maddern curse striking again,

and that middle shelf was just a little bit too much for Darcy.

I think someone's jinxed her.

It wasn't me.

No, it wasn't you.

It definitely wasn't me.

Well done, beautiful girl.

Whoo!

Darcy, girl power, how good are you!

Oh, thanks.

Yeah, I just go out, give it 100%.

Don't ever give up.

First time on the course.

It's massive, isn't it?

Yeah, you run through your head how you think it's gonna go, but

you just get out here, and it's kind of all plans out the window, really.

How did you somehow get yourself back on the Cyclone Spinner?

No idea.

Pure adrenaline, I think.

Just, yeah, never give in, never say die,

not until you're in the water and wet.

Well done. Thank you.

Well, you know what?

That's a newbie Ninja, Darcy Elliston making her mark.

But this killer course continues to torment our ninjas.

We'll be back right after the break with more Australian Ninja Warrior.

Still to come...

The Ninja nerds are back, baby.

Nathan Burley and Todd Smith return, this time with a new recruit.

And he's the smallest male ninja ever.

All the pressure is on reigning champ Ben Polson.

There's gonna be a lot of people out for blood this year.

I've got a target on my back,

and it's gonna be tougher than ever, but, if you ask me,

do I believe I can back it up and do it two years in a row?

The answer is yes, 100%.

And, later, it's ninja versus ninja on the toughest Power Tower ever.

Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior

where our ninjas face our toughest obstacle course ever,

and Mount Midoriyama has continued to churn through the field.

40-year-old Melbourne builder Daniel Tolli

learned the painful truth about the very first obstacle.

Oh! Wow!

He was going so fast and, unfortunately,

his feet have hit the water.

Ouch!

Puppeteer Stanley Browning knows how to put on a good show, but...

Big Dipper to Pole Rider.

Oh, no.

(AUDIENCE GROANS)

He had a very entertaining ending.

And auctioneer Janelle Zanatta

paid the ultimate price on the Cyclone Spinner.

It's all about your core and hanging on.

She's flat as a tack to that disc on the...

Oh! (AUDIENCE GROANS)

Going, going, gone.

Only three ninjas have gone further

than the first three obstacles so far,

which means our next hopeful has an enormous task ahead of him.

At just 166cm tall and weighing just 53kg,

he's our smallest male ninja ever.

From Brisbane, it's Sam Roberts.

I'm Sam, I'm 21 from Brisbane

and I love my job, working at a supermarket.

I've always been a smaller kid, as you can see.

Have a good day. Thanks very much, indeed.

Since I was a kid, I didn't really go into any sports or anything

that other kids would do, and I was more of a loner, really,

just preferred to be on my own, and comic books meant the world to me.

I just love the way superheroes can relate to us as people.

They're just ordinary people with these abilities.

Being only 166cm tall and only 53kg,

I don't look like your average athlete, just a small, nerdy kid.

But, 'cause of my size, I'm underestimated,

but, something like Ninja, my size is my superpower.

Going into this competition,

I want to prove to myself, my mates and the world that I can do it,

that all smaller guys can do it, and we can kill it, too.

I want to be a real-life superhero just like Spider-Man.

(CHEERING)

Well, we don't judge books by their cover,

we don't judge ninjas by their size

because we've seen in this competition before,

sometimes, it's the smallest, leanest ninjas

who go furthest fastest, but this young man is rather small.

166cm and just 53kg.

It's gonna be very hard for him on some of these obstacles.

But he tells us, tonight, he's going to channel Spider-Man.

Mate, you've got this!

Now, he's got his two mentors on the sideline watching his every move.

The Ninja nerds, Nathan Burley and Todd Smith,

they've been training

Sam, and they'll be on the course themselves later tonight.

You've got this, mate. Go, Ninja nerd, come on.

Smaller kids watching, some of those kids out there

who wish they had a bit more size,

just watch this young man and cheer him on.

These steps are 1.5 metres apart, only a little less than

Sam's entire height, but he makes it across no problem, one bound.

Go!

And here he goes, the Big Dipper to Pole Rider.

Look at this kid go!

Could someone check his ID, please?

Is he old enough to be here?

Spider-Sam is gonna fly down the Big Dipper now.

The dismount is gonna be crucial.

And catch! Yes!

Absolutely perfect!

He pumps his arms. You've got this.

The Cyclone Spinner, though, that's looming large.

If ever there was a time to channel Spider-Man, it is now.

This has been a nightmare for our ninjas so far.

Has Sam got the core control and the strength

to hang on through four rotations?

He's wedged in nice and tight, Bec. All the way!

Technique looks good.

It's flawless.

Look at him go. Well done, Sam.

Oh, this 21-year-old supermarket worker

couldn't have dreamt of a better start.

He's showing no fear, and he is so fired up, Ben.

And you get the feeling the next two obstacles

are gonna test Sam Roberts like never before.

Will it be path A, the known obstacles,

or B, the faster but more difficult route?

Where's he gonna go?

What's he gonna do?

He's going to take the known path, path A.

He'll have practiced the Flying Shelf Grab and the Floating Monkey.

He knows what he's up against here, two upper-body killers.

And it's where his size could hurt him.

These three shelves are over two metres apart.

He's gonna need a big swing.

Good start.

There he goes, gets the first one, but now he has to go up,

and just have a look at his core engaging here and how it's working.

Wow!

He is fantastic.

Make no mistake, he is defying the odds with every single lache.

Oh, and he's done it again.

Whoo-hoo!

Now gets ready for the dismount.

He'll get a big roar from this crowd. Oh, yeah.

Outside the Olympic Stadium in Sydney.

We're watching a performance worthy of this inspirational venue, Bec.

You got this, man.

He's just one obstacle away from the Warped Wall

for the first time tonight.

The challenge is gonna be Sam's wingspan.

I mean, Ben Polson has got a 2-metre wingspan.

Now, just have a look, see.

The struggle is real. Oh!

Just trying to get it into the cradle.

Get it in! No, no, no.

Oh! Oh, again!

(AUDIENCE GASPS) Oh, finally!

Now he locks it into place.

Whew!

And he shakes it off.

There's a long way to go.

Yeah, but he's looking quite comfortable up there now, Ben.

I don't know, I can see fear in his eyes.

Ooh! No! Oh!

Oh, no.

This is excruciating.

Oh...

He locks that one in.

OK, good boy.

Nice! Now he seems calm.

It's not over yet.

He's only...

Now...he's got it now, he's got it now.

Hang on a minute. Oh!

You've done it again, Rebecca Maddern.

But he's a happy boy and so he should be.

What an effort from young Sam,

and the crowd absolutely love what they see.

Yep, Sam Roberts took the fight to Mount Midoriyama this evening,

and none of us will forget that performance for a long, long time.

Just like Cruze Morley, we didn't see this one coming.

Sam Roberts might be the smallest male ninja ever,

but he showed such huge spirit in taking on the penultimate obstacle

where, finally, upper-body fatigue just caught up with him.

Spider-Sam, I think we've got a new cult hero

in Australian Ninja Warrior.

What do you reckon about Spider-Sam?

(CHEERING)

It's quite incredible.

It's huge, isn't it, when you get here?

I'm sure you've done a lot of training but, when you get here,

it is so much bigger than what it looks like on TV.

Nothing can prepare you, honestly.

It's...been training for about two years now, and coming here,

seeing everything, it still hasn't kicked in that I'm here.

But it's amazing that I got this far.

I'm so happy with how I did.

We want to see you continue on in this competition.

Oh, yeah, I will be.

I'll be heading for that Power Tower on the semis,

and I'll be heading for Mount Midoriyama.

Alright, Spider-Sam!

Well done, he's heading to Mount Midoriyama!

It was a superhuman effort from Spider-Sam.

On the toughest course in the world, our ninjas are getting it done.

Stay tuned. Don't go anywhere.

You're watching Australian Ninja Warrior from Sydney Olympic Park.

The mountain has erupted, but which ninjas will be forged in the fire?

Will it be Adelaide engineer Stewart Furze?

This year, the course is even more fierce than before,

but the furbinator focus is back and even clearer.

Brisbane high school teacher Nathan Burley?

Give it a burl, the Ninja Nerd is back

and I'm here to destroy the course.

Or the spiritual ninja, Joel Hogan?

The stakes are so much higher this year.

I'm going in 110% ready to take on the course and win that Power Tower.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Australia, welcome back to Sydney Olympic Park.

Revenge has been sweet so far for Mount Midoriyama

as this relentless new course continues to dominate.

BEC: But for the two ninjas who finish furthest fastest,

a battle awaits on the fiercest Power Tower ever

where the winner really will take it all

and go straight to the grand final.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

A golden opportunity for our next ninja

to go beyond the semis for the first time.

It's high school teacher and ninja nerd, Nathan Burley.

(CHEERING)

(ROCK MUSIC)

NATHAN: Since you've seen me last,

my ninja obsession clearly hasn't dwindled.

I've been busy trying to focus my mind and body

into the very first ever Australian Ninja Warrior, the board game.

Wow! Whoa!

Australian Ninja Warrior!

The boardgame!

It is so fun.

You play as your favourite athlete.

(GROANS) So close!

My boardgame comes with athlete playing cards,

obstacle playing cards,

your very own buzzer, a miniature Warped Wall

and Mount Midoriyama!

Australian Ninja Warrior course is basically a life-size version

of my game and I'm the game master.

But on season four, I went all the way through

until I met my nemesis, The Doorknob Drop.

SHANE: This is where P oh, no!

BEN: Nathan, no!

NATHAN: All my students, they tease me tremendously about my failure.

They call me 'The Doorknob Dropkick'.

So, hopefully, I want to be called Mr Buzzer this year.

Yes!

(CHEERING)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Yeah! Game on! Whoo!

Well, we have an entrepreneur here.

Last year, he brought a book.

This year, he has created a ninja boardgame.

He is full of beans and we love it.

BEN: So are you, Crawf.

Down there, Nathan's wife, Sarah,

and the other ninja nerds, Sam Roberts and Todd Smith.

You got this! You got this!

(STARTING TONE)

BEC: So, Nathan Burley looks like he's just here for a bit of fun,

bringing his board game out but make no mistake.

He made it to the semifinals last year.

He means business. He was to go even further this year.

BEN: And tonight is about whether he can go

from being a super fan to being the real deal.

A genuine contender.

Grabs The Pole Rider and makes a lovely exit

from obstacle number two.

Now, here is The Cyclone Spinner.

Nathan, make sure it's in real tight, OK?

BEN: Bec, this is going to be a huge test.

He can look down at his mate, Sam Roberts, for inspiration.

He's locking those feet in. He knows you've got to lock them right in.

Hold on tight and give it a shove.

Here he goes. Come on!

BEN: Here he goes now. On the roll.

One, two, three, four,

hang on, get off. Well done.

BEC: (LAUGHS)

Plenty of relief in those celebrations

and the now for someone who loves boardgames,

well, he gets to choose his own adventure here.

A or B for the ninja nerd?

SHANE: Yes! It's the letter B!

BEC: It'll be the second time tonight we are heading down path B.

BEN: Get ready, new obstacles.

We haven't seen Clockwork yet.

But we know The Ring Chaser has already claimed the huge scalp

of Olivia Vivian,

and the moment you hit that first bar on these monkey bars,

the ring starts rolling

and you've got to get in front of it.

Oh, he's gone straight to the second one!

He went straight to the second one and it didn't move!

He's got to go back 'cause he didn't touch the first bar to release it.

Go back and touch the first one.

BEC: Yep, that's right.

You've got to the first bar for the ring to be released.

So, he's not panicking and there it goes, rolling.

This is what you needed to do, Nath.

BEN: Ah, I see.

Very smart, Nathan. Very smart.

BEN: Yeah, there is a second chance ring we may see later on

but at the moment, we're with Nathan Burley.

Oh, well done!

This is incredible right now. He's had to go back on the course.

Now he's going forward again.

BEC: And Olivia Vivian got to this point, remember.

BEN: Got it!

BEC: OK, and we just need the landing to the mat

and Nathan Burley is the first competitor

to reach this brand-new obstacle

which we've been dying to see, Clockwork.

BEN: Now, you have these three major cogs

and they all move the moment

the ninja jumps up onto this obstacle.

But they don't move in a uniform manner.

There are handles, you've got to transfer between the handles.

BEC: This is going to be a very weird sensation

for our ninjas. Our ninjas are used to obstacles

that have a nice flow to them.

This one is quite jolty. It works on a pulley system.

BEN: OK, on the handles now. He's got the transfer here.

Getting ready P no! BEC: Oh, no!

BEN: Oh, no.

Nathan Burley crashes out on the Clockwork.

Course of gold.

BEN: An A plus effort from him.

We knew the jerky movement of the cogs was going to be tough

but it meant that Nathan couldn't predict

where the next handle was going to be

and if you can't predict it, you can't time it.

He held on too long and his grip just gave out.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Nathan Burley. You are legend.

Well done. Thank you so much. It was so fun.

It is a super fan's dream

to make this real-life board game into a real game. It's amazing.

And everyone knew once you got to the crossroads,

you were going to choose B

'cause you've never done that before.

If you're here, you might as well do something you've never done before

and I get excited by new obstacles.

As if I'm ever going to go A.

It's great to have you a part of the show. Well done.

It felt so good.

I can't wait to get my hands on more obstacles.

Let's go! (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEC: You could be doing that soon enough, Nathan Burley.

He's just announced himself as a real contender this year

and moved up into second place

behind the man right there, Sam Roberts.

They are the two furthest fastest at the moment

and heading for the Power Tower

where the winner will earn an express pass

straight to the grand final.

BEN: But so far, no one's made it to The Warped Wall.

So, it's time for us to send in the biggest names

in Australian Ninja Warrior, and there's none bigger than this.

He's a three-time grand finalist and two-time runner-up.

Get ready for Bryson Klein.

(HIGHPENERGY MUSIC)

BRYSON: This is my fourth season of Australian Ninja Warrior.

When I first stepped out onto the ninja course in series two,

I was a lot younger, perhaps a bit more timid,

not quite as confident or outgoing.

So, throughout the years of completing on Ninja Warrior,

I've definitely gained a lot of confidence.

That's really helped me to become the athlete that I am today.

I'm definitely a lot stronger and fitter and more prepared

for what the course can throw at me.

BEC: Bryson's winding up for the lache.

BEN: Who's going to get it?

Charlie hits the buzzer! (HORN SOUNDS)

BRYSON: Unfortunately, I've never actually won a heat.

I've only ever come second.

I have also come second in two grand finals.

My absolute ultimate goal

was to be the first Australian Ninja Warrior.

SHANE: Ben Polson!

He's done it!

BRYSON: Now, that goal is never achievable for me.

Yeah, I had to go through the process of letting that go.

That was, you know, eye-opening.

As they say, if you want to be a millionaire,

hang out with millionaires.

I want to be Australian Ninja Warrior,

so I decided to move to Brisbane,

move in with the champ himself, Ben Polson...

Oh, my god. We've got a house.

..as well as Olivia Vivian and Fred Dorrington

in the ninja super house.

There's no better place to be

to get yourself in the right mindset and for training.

I've trained so hard this past year.

I've worked on all of my weaknesses.

I truly believe that this is my year to win it.

I know that it's just going to be so much harder

but I will be number one.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEC: Here he comes. Here comes Bryson.

We are bringing out the big guns to take down Mount Midoriyama.

Now, he has never won a heat, interestingly,

but overall however, he's finished runner-up twice.

He needs to shake off that bridesmaid tag

and keeping a close eye on this one is reigning champ, Ben Polson,

there with Bryson's girlfriend, Gemma, his dad,

and fellow housemate, Olivia Vivian.

You've got this, Bryson!

BEN: He's walking a tight rope here.

He's going to have to pull it all out for the Power Tower.

But on this course especially, one slip and it's all over.

(STARTING TONE)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEC: Shrinking steps will be no problem

for this chap, Bryson Klein.

He has done it all on Australian Ninja Warrior

except wear that crown.

BEN: He's got the mixed grip. He's got the log.

Oh! (INDISTINCT)

BEN: And now, he's about to get The Cyclone Spinner.

BEC: Wedging the feet in now,

making sure the hands are there as well. That's it.

Make sure your ankles are almost touching the disc.

OLIVIA: Lock this in, Bryson!

BEN: Starts to roll now.

He looks strong, he's got that tension

right up against the spinning disc.

Perfect from Bryson Klein on The Cyclone Spinner.

Whoa!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEC: He is flying.

He looks so determined tonight.

Makes the decision to go down the faster path B

and tackle these two brand-new obstacles.

Up he goes. BEN: When he hits The Ring Chaser,

that ring starts rolling

and he's got to catch it and he does.

BEC: Perfect timing for Bryson Klein.

MAN: Yeah, Bryson!

BEC: And just watch his upper body strength through this.

This will be superb.

BEN: Now, these sky hooks. They're tiny.

BEC: Nice.

BEN: But someone like Bryson doesn't miss.

How quick is he?

BEN: Four obstacles done.

SHANE: This guy is an absolute machine and speaking of machine,

it's now The Clockwork.

Come on, work it out, work it out!

BEN: Nathan Burley couldn't handle the awkward movement on these cogs.

Let's see if Bryson Klein can.

He catches the first handle.

He's so strong. BEC: Oh, he's just so strong.

BEN: Time for the lache.

Can he?

He can!

BEC: That was a fingertip save from Bryson Klein.

It was nearly all over for him but now, The Warped Wall.

BEN: Wasting no time, first time, never in doubt.

(HORN SOUNDS) Hits the buzzer

and right outside the stadium where so many champions were born,

a ninja champion reminds us, "I'm here to succeed."

BEC: And Bryson Klein, you are the first ninja

to hit the buzzer in season five.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Well, there's a big prize at the top of that Power Tower,

so I've got to be smooth and fast and fast and smooth.

We're looking forward to seeing plenty more of you, mate.

Go down and celebrate with the gang.

Put your hands together for Bryson Klein.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

What do they say? The cream rises to the top.

Incredible poise and what about the high-speed technique,

and a desperate save on The Clockwork.

Bryson Klein, the new furthest fastest

and now on track to win his first ever heat,

and there he is

on the top of the leaderboard,

charging onto the Power Tower

with Nathan Burley

and pushing Sam Roberts

down to third.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEC: Well, he has set a cracking pace tonight, Bryson Klein.

It's all hugs down there

but he has laid the gauntlet down for reigning champ, Ben Polson,

and made the breakthrough we have all been waiting for.

We will be back right after this short break.

BEN: Ninja versus ninja...

..in a race like no other.

This year, the stakes are even higher,

with a place in the grand final for the winner.

Don't miss the Power Tower.

BEC: And two ninjas desperate for redemption.

Two-time grand finalist, Josh O'Sullivan.

JOSH: To go from season three grand finals

to then season four, not making semifinals.

It's a humbling experience.

BEC: And back from season three, Katie Sparrow.

I'm back here because I don't feel like I was able to do it

to the best of my ability last time.

(BUZZER)

I want to give it my best shot

and see if I can complete the course.

BEN: Tonight's top two furthest fastest ninjas

will face off on the all new Power Tower

for a fast pass straight through to the grand final.

All thanks to Energizer.

(HORN SOUNDS)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: You're back with Australian Ninja Warrior

at Sydney Olympic Park.

BEC: So far tonight,

only Bryson Klein has defied Mount Midoriyama

and made it to the top of The Warped Wall.

(HORN SOUNDS) BEN: Never in doubt.

BEC: Can our next ninja follow his lead?

BEN: Direct from the northern beaches of Sydney,

a powerhouse mix of sun, sand and steely determination.

Come on down, Katie Sparrow.

KATIE: My name's Katie Sparrow.

I'm 28 and am from Manly and I work as a personal trainer.

Well done! High five on the way through.

What I find most rewarding is helping women find strength

in all aspects of their life through fitness

and it's the best job in the world.

BEN: Lets go, Katie.

Back in season three, I came off on The Swing Surfer.

Big bounce. Oh, yes!

KATIE: Ideally, you get off straight away

while you have that momentum.

She's very scared about getting off. Oh, Katie.

Katie Sparrow is in no man's land.

Nothing was happening, so I jumped off.

Missed the platform by a mile and fell into the water.

Ninja represents a massive challenge,

something that I look at and think,

"Wow, it would be really cool to be able to do that."

'Cause I know the sense of achievement

is something you can't really beat.

Ninja doesn't discriminate.

It's a mixture of guys and girls and we do the exact same course.

I do believe there's a new strong wave of ninja women coming through

and I'd love to lead the way.

I want to give it my best shot and do it for the girls.

I've heard Mount Midoriyama is angry but I'm ready to take it on.

I've put in the training,

so hopefully we'll make it angry again.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEC: In season three, Katie Sparrow came off on obstacle two.

She's been training night and day to come back better.

She says she's more prepared than ever,

so fingers crossed she can go all the way tonight.

BEN: She's got plenty of support willing her on

and she wants to capitalise on that right now

at the Sydney Olympic Stadium.

(STARTING TONE)

BEC: Shrinking steps, off she goes.

First step, nice, yes, she's home.

BEN: She's all good.

BEC: And here we are, already at obstacle two,

The Big Dipper to Pole Ride

and now, after two years of thinking about this moment,

she's got to be nervous.

BEN: She needs to hold on tight here.

BEC: Down she goes. BEN: Yes!

BEC: Makes the grab, finds the safety of the mat

and she has now gone one better than series three.

Well done, Katie Sparrow.

BEN: What's up next, Bec?

The Cyclone Spinner.

This tests even the best ninjas.

BEN: OK, locks the feet into place.

BEC: That looks good to me.

BEN: Now, hands are ready to go.

BEC: That looks good. BEN: And here comes the roll, Bec.

BEC: Squish your body onto the disc.

This is one hell of a ride and you're almost at the end.

SHANE: Well done!

WOMAN: Got it! (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Home.

You can see a sense of confidence is growing with every obstacle

and she's become one of a select few ninjas

to make it to the crossroads tonight.

She looks relieved.

BEC: What path is Katie Sparrow going to choose?

It's a really big decision.

She says, "I don't know. They all look terrifying."

BEN: It's decision time, Katie.

She's going the safe route.

BEC: There she goes.

She's chosen lane A, the path known.

Two obstacles that she's trained for

but they are two of the toughest Mount Midoriyama can throw at her.

BEN: Only two ninjas have made it past The Flying Shelf Grab tonight.

Katie, she's doing a great job.

Good.

BEC: Lets go, Katie. BEN: Get your swing on, Katie.

BEC: She can hear the crowd, it's pumping her up.

She wants it, she makes the first transition.

Now, she knows she can do it,

so she should get a lot of confidence from that.

BEN: This is the harder one because it's higher in height.

SHANE: Keep going, keep going.

Oh, it's such a long way! (BUZZER)

It really is such a long way. Well done, Katie.

BEN: Katie sparrow should be really proud of her achievement tonight.

She's done herself and everyone proud.

Well done, Katie Sparrow.

BEC: All that training paid off for Katie

as she sailed past the second obstacle this time

but a small mistake cost her on The Flying Shelf Grab.

Swinging for the lache,

Katie didn't move her hands to the sides of the first shelf,

which would have bought extra centimetres on her lache

and saved her from falling short.

BEN: That puts Katie Sparrow

into the top five places tonight.

Great result, Katie.

At the moment, Bryson Klein

and Nathan Burley

are set to battle it out

on the Power Tower

for that golden ticket

to the grand final.

One name missing from the top

of the leaderboard, Olivia Vivian.

She'll be anxiously waiting

to see if she's done enough

for a spot in the semifinals.

BEC: Well, we've already channelled Spiderman tonight.

Next, it's a two-time grand finalist

who wants to make like Marty McFly and head back to the future.

It's Adelaide's Stewart 'The Furbinator' Furze.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

STEWART: This year, I'm back and more prepared than ever.

(CHEERING)

In the past, balance has always been one thing

that I've been super worried about.

I picked up a skateboard in the last 12 months

and I've been rolling around at the local skate park

to try and improve my balance.

Season two, three, and four,

I had Ashanti as my girlfriend on the sidelines.

This year, she's my wife.

Ashanti and I have always had a common fascination

with the movie 'Back to the Future'

and many years ago, we thought if we ever get married,

we should have a 'Back to the Future' themed wedding.

Think back to the future

when you guys met for that first time ever.

We actually managed to do that in the last 12 months.

I don't have the typical look, being tall with a tan and muscles.

But I don't need all that.

This year, the Furbinator focus is back and even clearer.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: He is a favourite, this bloke, the Furbinator.

Maybe not a favourite with the bookies

to go all the way to the top of Mount Midoriyama

but a fan favourite, that's for sure.

BEC: And what he wouldn't do for a hover board right now.

He's been practising with a skateboard,

so let's see if that helps him out on the course.

BEN: Tell him he's dreaming.

Stewart, turn your eyes to the big screen

because we have your lovely wife, Ashanti,

joining you on this run tonight.

BEN: Oh, yes. BEC: Ashanti,

final words for your husband.

Go your hardest!

Just get to the end!

BEN: (LAUGHS)

BEC: Short but sweet.

And don't stuff it up, Furbinator. (LAUGHS)

I love you.

BEN: Oh, we love you too.

We'll turn it over to the Furbinator.

Here we go.

(STARTING TONE)

SHANE: The Furbinator has been working on his balance.

He's taken up skateboarding and he's going to need it.

BEN: Yeah, well, he's one of the elite competitors

on Australian Ninja Warrior.

A grand finalist in season two, he's reached two semifinals.

Can he do even better tonight on this course?

Come on, Furbinator.

BEC: He goes onto The Pole Rider. BEN: Go, Furby!

BEC: The Furbinator, he's a seasoned campaigner.

He knows what this is all about.

However, we have been warning our ninjas that season five,

we've stepped it up significantly.

BEN: Including on this killer obstacle.

Hands and feet wedged in.

Four cartwheels down a seven-metre track.

Is he in tight enough?

Not as much as we've seen from others.

Oh, it wasn't pretty but he got there.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEC: Well done, Furbinator.

OK, here she is at the crossroads.

He's about ten seconds slower than Nathan Burley at the moment.

BEN: Where's he going?

BEC: B. He is bringing it tonight.

BEN: That's a statement of intent.

He wants the Power Tower spot and he wants the faster track.

BEC: Will it be a good decision or not?

Here's The Ring Chaser.

BEN: This is a big jump.

A really big jump from a trampoline.

BEC: Particularly for someone who is 168 cm.

BEN: And remember, if you do make it to the monkey bar,

that ring starts rolling straight away. It's then a race.

BEC: Got to go quick. Here he goes. The Furbinator.

BEN: Off goes the ring. BEC: Onto the handle.

There it goes. Quick, quick. So does the Furbinator.

Go, go, go, go, go. It's going to be close. He gets it.

Oh, no! He's dropped the ring!

He's dropped the ring!

BEC: Uh-oh! BEN: So, there's a back-up.

Watch this. He'll now go for the back-up.

But it's a smaller option.

Only 20 cm in diameter.

So, it's not as easy with this lache.

BEC: Oh, you've got to be spot-on now.

BEN: He's landed it!

The Furbinator saves himself.

BEC: He has chosen the tougher lane.

We're behind you, Furby! Come on!

BEN: What a rescue!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) BEC: Survives The Ring Chaser.

Ashanti, what do you make of this?

Incredible!

(LAUGHS)

BEC: So, we are now up to the second last obstacle, Clockwork.

Only Bryson Klein has worked out how to do this one so far.

BEN: There's a nasty kick when you go back on that cog.

The movement is not in any way uniform.

BEC: He's too scared to release. Is he going to go, he's going to go.

BEN: Oh, yes.

A little slip there but he got it.

If he gets this, he's home.

BEC: Go, Furby! He's done it! BEN: Yes!

BEC: Yes, Furby!

SHANE: The Furbinator is fantastic!

Now, he's going to head towards The Warped Wall.

AUDIENCE (CHANTING): Beat the wall!

BEC: Come on, Stewart Furze. You've been training for this.

It's ten centimetres higher this year. Push those arms P oh!

He's about ten centimetres short,

so if it was last year, he would be up and celebrating at this point.

BEN: He's 168 cm.

The wall is two and a half times his size.

Take his time, a bit faster up the ramp.

Drive to the top. I reckon he's going to get this. Come on!

BEN: Yes, Furbinator! Yes! SHANE: He's got it!

BEC: Furbinator, put your hand on that buzzer!

Stewart Furze is heading to the Power Tower!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Well, that's a nice feeling, isn't it?

(LAUGHS)

Didn't have to dig deep! After dropping the big ring,

Stewart Furze kept his cool to make it through Ring Chaser

then fell short on his first attempt at The Warped Wall.

But he would not be denied on his second try.

The Furbinator on top in season five.

BEN: You know you're only the second ninja

to hit the buzzer tonight, mate.

Mount Midoriyama has been ruthless.

Well, I dropped the ring and then I tripped down here,

so you gave me some motivation though.

We also gave you a lucky charm there in the big screen.

Ashanti, how good is it to have her watching on?

Oh, she's my angel.

I'd be nothing without her.

BEC: Oh! BEN: Oh!

Ashanti, you must be very proud.

I am so very, very proud.

Well, mate, you go and enjoy the celebrations

and we can't wait to see you in the semifinals.

We might even see the Furbinator on the Power Tower later tonight.

He's in prime position to join Bryson Klein there

and a reminder, whoever wins on the Power Tower

goes straight into the grand final.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Great performance from The Furbinator.

Superstar, Olivia Vivian, slips even further down the leaderboard.

She's in big trouble at the moment.

We'll be back right after this.

BEC: Our ninjas are raising the bar

and taking the fight to Mount Midoriyama.

With three grand finalists including Ninja Toddles

and the reigning champ, Ben Polson, still to run,

the race to the Power Tower will go down to the wire.

Skipping the semi-final and going straight to the grand final,

oh, that is a massive advantage.

I'm definitely going for that Power Tower tonight.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: You are back with Australian Ninja Warrior.

Thanks for joining us and while you were gone,

we saw plenty of thrills and spills

as three more ninjas chased a spot on the formidable new Power Tower.

BEC: After a year of deep meditation,

Joel Hogan returned to ninja

more spiritually charged than ever.

Grab, yes!

Before The Flying Shelf Grab brought him back down to Earth.

Oh! Oh, no!

BEN: 47-year-old parking inspector, Trevor Salter,

is the oldest ninja in heat one

and he looked just the ticket.

BEC: I think he's going to do it!

BEN: Until he paid the penalty on The Floating Monkey.

BEC: Trevor Salter making it really hard work for himself

on The Floating Monkey and he finds the pool.

Two-time grand finalist and firefighter, Josh O'Sullivan,

brought the heat.

Josh O'Sullivan is known

for putting a cracking pace together.

Burned after missing out on the semis last year,

he was more fired up than ever...

BEN: There's the jump!

..becoming the third ninja to go all the way.

BEN: Straight up The Warped Wall, first attempt. He hits it!

BEC: Whoa!

BEN: And Josh O'Sullivan is heading to the Power Tower.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: So, Josh O'Sullivan squeezes

Stewart Furze out of second place

by one second.

Sliding into the Power Tower

hot seat just behind Bryson Klein

and positioning himself perfectly

for a chance to win the express pass

to the grand final.

But ready to crash the party right now is Ninja Nerd, Todd Smith.

After reaching the semis in season three

and the grand final last year,

he firmly believes his star is on the rise.

(STARTING TONE)

Here we go. It's time for Toddles to have a crack.

One, two, three, four, five.

BEC: Oh, no! BEN: No, that's a problem.

BEC: We nearly lost Ninja Toddles on the first obstacle.

Oh, my goodness. He was almost out of the competition.

BEN: He's still going. Big Dipper to Pole Rider.

There's the catch onto the log.

Now, he's getting ready to take on The Cyclone Spinner

which has been a nightmare for a lot of our ninjas.

Big dramas to start with the Ninja Toddles.

He's got to compose himself here.

Get all of his ducks in a row, get that core engaged.

MAN: Be strong!

BEC: Get your body nice and close to the spinner and there it goes.

Don't move an inch.

Grab on for your dear life and you will get to the end.

That's exactly how you do it, Ninja Toddles,

and I'm just looking at the clock.

Ten seconds up on Josh O'Sullivan despite that slip.

Now, that is a surprise.

He's chosen path A, the slower route.

His mate Nathan crashed out on Clockwork.

Best to stick with what you know.

BEN: Yes, Nathan Burley went the new obstacles.

Ninja Toddles is going the familiar ones

and already that decision proving to be a smart one

because he knows these obstacles.

He's been on them before.

He knows how to catch a shelf, he knows how to fly between them.

BEC: And Ninja Toddles is setting a cracking pace here

which really should come as no surprise.

In season three, he was the fastest in his heat.

SHANE: Can you believe it?

After such a poor start, he's now in a wonderful position.

Go, the Ninja Nerd!

BEC: Yeah, here he goes up onto The Floating Monkey.

Come on, mate. Yep, come on. Take your time.

BEC: He's over 30 seconds faster than Josh O'Sullivan now

but he has to be careful. BEN: Wow!

We saw what happened with Sam Roberts.

If you miss one of those monkey bars, you're in a world of pain.

BEN: And he's got to hold on.

OK, OK. Hold on!

BEN: A lot of pressure on him now.

BEC: Locks in that bar.

BEN: One of the big advantages is the weight factor.

He's 67 kg and look at him.

He's got a great build but a light frame,

and his lead is now over 40 seconds.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Ninja Toddles is at The Warped Wall.

It was an ordinary start.

Can he put himself within touching distance of the Power Tower?

AUDIENCE (CHANTING): Beat that wall!

BEC: Beat the wall. The wall is ten centimetres higher this year.

It now stands at 4.35 metres to the very top.

BEN: It's crunch time.

BEC: Here we go, Ninja Toddles!

Push those P oh, yes! BEN: Yes!

BEC: Yes, he got there! Don't worry about the ten centimetres!

BEN: Yes! BEC: Hands on the buzzer

and what a celebration from Ninja Toddles!

BEN: Oh, why not?

He's done it.

He beat Josh O'Sullivan

and at this stage, Todd Smith is on the Power Tower

against her Bryson Klein.

BEC: Safe to say, you're pretty happy

to be on top of The Warped Wall.

This is amazing!

This is my third buzzer and I'm coming for that Power Tower.

BEC: You made the grand final last year.

What are you aiming for this year?

Semi-final season three, grand final season four.

Champion, season five.

BEN: Ninja Toddles!

BEC: It was nearly all over in the first three seconds though

but Todd Smith saved himself on The Shrinking Steps

and he never looked back.

He was lightning fast throughout,

getting to the top of The Warped Wall

with over 40 seconds to spare.

BEN: The Ninja Nerds have had plenty to celebrate tonight

and after that performance from Todd Smith,

they could be heading to the Power Tower.

Join us after this to find out.

BEC: Next...

BEN: Ben Polson's done it!

..the ninja who defeated the mountain.

The first Australian Ninja Warrior is Ben Polson!

Can he do it again?

BEN: A few more eyes will be on me this year.

I've got a target on my back.

Is he going to back it up or is he going to flop?

But I'm still aware that I'm capable of completing everything

and I'm capable of getting to Mount Midoriyama once again.

I know I can go all the way.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Welcome back to a brand-new season of Australian Ninja Warrior.

BEN: Tonight, we're at Sydney Olympic Park,

a fitting location for the incredible feats

we've witnessed on Australian Ninja Warrior.

Mount Midoriyama has tormented our ninjas

and only four have been able to finish the course.

BEC: Bryson Klein and Todd Smith currently lead the way

to the Power Tower

where a head-to-head battle will decide who skips the semis

and goes straight into the grand final.

Now, just one ninja remains.

This man is conquering this almighty beast!

(HORN SOUNDS) BEN: Ben Polson's done it!!

BEC: Unbelievable!

The first Australian Ninja Warrior is Ben Polson!

BEN: He's the Ninja Warrior Champion.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: I remember the exact moment that the win actually hit me.

I just started bursting out in tears.

I was just thinking of my younger self.

I can't believe all the stuff that I went through

as a kid and a young adult.

I wasn't exactly popular in high school

and I didn't really know where I fit in,

and here I am sitting there the next morning,

casually winning Australian Ninja Warrior,

and it just all hit me.

It was really emotional.

The big question after becoming Australia's first ever Ninja Warrior

is what's next?

When you accomplish your life goal, you need to come up with a new goal.

But luckily for me, the course keeps changing,

it keeps getting harder

and as far as I know, there's never been a winner

which has won two years in a row anywhere in the world.

My goal is to come back and back it up

and prove that I'm not just a fluke,

that I am capable of accomplishing it twice in a row.

Mount Midoriyama is going to be tougher than ever.

I know it is.

You never know what to expect

but as a ninja, we have to be focused

no matter what is in front of us and that's just the joy of ninja.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEC: So, this is last year's champion.

He's confident

but then there is a whole lot of pressure on Ben Polson

that he wasn't feeling last year.

BEN: Heavy is the crown, Bec.

He knows he's got a big target on his back right now

and his housemate, Bryson Klein, has been studying his every move

for 12 months.

This is heavyweight rivalry and Bryson has raised the bar.

BEC: Ben Polson has won every single heat he's ever been in.

He would trade in all of those victories

to be furthest fastest tonight. (STARTING TONE)

Here we go. BEN: Here he comes.

Ben Polson, good start. Solid.

Up onto the rope.

The fastest time of the night is Bryson's 01:51.

That's about 18.5 seconds per obstacle.

BEC: Oh, that is so, so fast.

Grabs the pole, flies.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

So, let's see how it goes on The Cyclone Spinner.

SHANE: This is a very tall ninja. One of our biggest ninjas,

so how is he going to go on the spinning wheel?

BEC: 195 cm, 6'4" in the old scale.

See how much he's bending his knees and his arms.

It's because he's so tall,

he's got to actually just put them somewhere.

BEN: Yeah, and because he's got that great core strength,

he's still able to hold on.

BEC: Well, Ben's slower than Bryson at the moment

and he's also slower than Ninja Toddles

who finished in 02:24.

So, he's picked the faster route, path B,

but he's still four seconds down on second-place, Todd Smith.

He's really going to have to get a wriggle-on on The Ring Chaser.

BEN: And remember, the moment you touch that first bar here,

the ring starts moving,

so you've got to hurry along and make sure you grab it in time.

Here he goes, Ben Polson. Oh, easy.

He's there.

So confident, so strong.

Now, he's got the ring over that first hook.

Getting ready to move it.

BEC: Now, remember, this is the obstacle that took out

his girlfriend, Olivia Vivian.

So, she knows how tough this is and so does he.

BEN: First one's fine. Second one, straight.

SHANE: Locks it in.

Poetry in motion.

Poetry in motion.

BEN: Now, Clockwork.

Come on!

BEC: Getting the swing up, ready for the transition.

Won't go. Come on, Ben. You've got to go.

BEN: He's now six seconds behind Toddles.

BEC: Lands it.

BEN: Now, he's on that middle cog.

He looks confident but the clock is not on his side.

Grabs it again.

BEC: OK, you just need to make the dismount now.

BEN: Time's running out. BEC: That's it. Just Swing.

BEN: He's got 15 seconds.

Come on, Ben!

If he wants to make the Power Tower, he'd better hurry up.

BEC: Up he goes from a standing start.

BEN: What was that?

He gets the buzzer with six seconds to spare.

Ben Polson's on the Power Tower.

Wow! What a comeback.

It looked like it was all over for the champ but he's done it.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEC: Ben Polson, great run tonight.

It is so great to have our reigning champion back on season five.

Ben, you are responsible for a few things this year

and I'm talking about Mount Midoriyama

because the mountain is very angry because of you.

Oh, sorry to all the other ninjas out there.

Yeah, look, it sure is angry.

It's a long way up from the top of The Warped Wall

to the top of Mount Midoriyama.

What do you think when you look up there?

Well, it brings me back to last year for sure

and the emotions I felt standing at the top there, you know?

It's something I visualised for many, many years.

I'm looking at it now.

It takes me back to last year, it gets me excited,

and excited for everyone else to tackle it as well.

BEC: We are so excited to have you back, Ben Polson.

Well done, mate. Enjoy.

Ben Polson! The 2020 Australian Ninja Warrior Champion.

Can he do it again 12 months later?

BEC: A close call for Ben, finishing faster than Ninja Toddles

by just over five seconds in the end.

He was feeling the pressure on the course

but did what all great champions do, kept a cool head,

stepped it up and found a way to turn it around.

BEN: And here's the confirmation

that Ben Polson has set up

a mouth-watering clash

with Bryson Klein

on the Power Tower.

But for the first time ever,

it's Bryson that wins the heat

and Ben finishes second.

BEC: The top 19 will go through

to the semifinals tonight

and there were brilliant

performances from newbie ninjas,

Sam Roberts and Cruze Morley

finishing in seventh and eighth,

while in 13th, is superstar,

Olivia Vivian, the only time

she's ever finished lower

was in season one.

She'll be hoping for much better

in the semifinals, and finally,

good news for Melvin Solo.

He scraped through in 18th spot.

BEN: So, with Bryson Klein and Ben Polson

topping that leaderboard in first and second place respectively,

they now head to the Power Tower.

Two ninjas from the same powerhouse battling it out.

Housemate versus housemate.

This is going to be epic.

They will be going head-to-head for an unbelievable prize.

The chance to avoid the semifinals altogether

and go straight into the grand final.

Get ready, Australia. We'll see how it goes down.

It's ninja versus ninja right after this.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior.

I tell you what, the atmosphere is tense here

because it's Power Tower time.

Ninja versus ninja and Bec, what about the line-up?

We've got Bryson Klein up against Ben Polson.

They're flatmates, they live in the same house,

in the ninja super house in Brisbane.

BEC: And they will be going for it tonight

because whoever touches that big button first,

they gain a huge advantage.

They go straight through to the grand finals.

That's right, they get a fast pass straight to the GF.

No semifinals for them.

But with the biggest prize ever

comes a new more spectacular and demanding Power Tower

than ever before.

BEN: I know. What about this?

The race begins with a flat out 20 m sprint for the steps.

There are five of them, each 1.3 metres high.

Waiting at the top is an unstable fire pole.

It is a white-knuckle slide down to the floating steps below.

BEC: These are on a very tricky angle

and a wrong step could spell the end for one of our ninjas.

Next is an upper-body-shredding dead-climb up a second fire pole

onto the dropping shelves.

BEN: These four shelves sink when weight is applied to them,

making transfers even harder.

Then a final 1.75 m lache to the platform and that buzzer.

(HORN SOUNDS)

BEC: Let's take a look to see who might have the edge

in this highflying showdown.

Ben is one of the tallest ninjas at 195 cm

and with a two-metre wingspan,

he could have a decisive advantage.

BEN: But Bryson's speed could be crucial.

At just 73 kg, he's considerably lighter than the reigning champ.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

SHANE: Flatmate versus flatmate.

Two of the finest ninjas you're ever going to see.

I'm talking about Ben Polson and Bryson Klein.

This is set to be a battle of epic proportions.

Bring it on.

BEC: Here we are.

The first Power Tower at season five.

BEN: Who's it going to be?

Bryson Klein or Ben Polson?

Who's going straight to the grand final?

Waiting on the buzzer.

(STARTING TONE)

BEC: OK, it's 20 metres on the flat

and they hit the stairs neck-and-neck.

BEN: Yeah, the stairs are 1.3 metres high.

There's five of them.

As they get to the top... BEC: Here they are.

..it's Bryson just out in front.

BEC: Down the fire pole neck-and-neck at the moment.

Onto the floating stairs. Bryson's first.

BEN: Ben is about two steps behind as Bryson gets on the poles.

BEC: How about that leap from Ben Polson!

He is the champion, he's the reigning champion,

he's almost caught Bryson!

BEN: But it's Bryson onto the dropping shelves first.

BEC: Oh, it's going to be a question who wants it more.

BEN: Ben's got the experience but look at Bryson!

BEC: Oh, whoa! BEN: Here comes Polson!

He's catching him! He's going to get him!

No! No! It's Bryson Klein first! (HORN SOUNDS)

Ben Polson second.

BEC: Bryson Klein goes straight through to the grand final!

Our first grand finalist

on Australian Ninja Warrior season five.

BEN: What a race!

Bryson took the early lead over the floating stairs.

Ben came back all guns blazing

and it was oh-so-close on the dropping shelves.

But a final desperate leap from Bryson

just got him across the line.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Bryson Klein, congratulations. You took down Ben Polson.

Very hard to do.

Thank you very much. Yes, it's definitely a feat worth remembering.

Yeah, he's the champ and I knew I could do it.

It was just a matter of putting it together.

Is this the year for Bryson Klein?

Oh, let's hope so. (LAUGHS)

We all hope so.

Bryson Klein is going through to the grand final!

Congratulations, buddy. Well done.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

So, we can confirm it is Bryson Klein

going through to the grand final

after beating Ben Polson, his housemate, on the Power Tower.

That was a close finish, Bec.

It certainly was but that's all we have time for tonight.

Make sure you join us tomorrow night from here at Sydney Olympic Park.

It's Australian Ninja Warrior.

See you then! Good night!

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Tomorrow night,

tennis legend and ninja super fan, Nick Kyrgios,

joins Shane Crawford on the sidelines...

What did I just witness?

..as the mountain devises more terrifying new obstacles...

Oh!

..for an exciting new crop of ninjas,

including this stay-at-home mum of two...

I'd love to be the first mum on the Power Tower.

That would be amazing.

..and a doctor with a Jackie Chan obsession.

As a kid, I always enjoyed climbing up things, jumping over things.

I never really grew out of it.

BEN: Many are looking for redemption

after last year. (BUZZER)

Oh, no.

Unfortunately, Le, you've been disqualified

because you grabbed the pylon.

BEN: None more so than Ashlin Herbert

and Daniel Mason who both made shock exits in the semis.

Oh, no!

They have the fiercest rivalry of all.

Don't want to be bottoming out tonight.

I'm back to try and redeem myself.

BEN: Could they be battling it out on the all new Power Tower

for a golden ticket straight to the grand finals?

Hopefully that extra little bit of incentive

is going to give me that extra fight to push past and win.

BEN: And still to come on Australian Ninja Warrior...

Is this man human?

..new obstacle... BEC: Oh, yes!

..after new obstacle... BEC: Oh, no!

..after new obstacle of sheer terror...

Oh, no!

..as Mount Midoriyama continues to exact revenge.

WOMAN: Mount Midoriyama's fighting back.

It's bringing up some big obstacles and I'm going to see you there

right at the top, hitting that buzzer.

BEN: The toughest heats.

Oh, my...

BEN: The toughest semis.

Oh, no!

BEN: The toughest grand finals.

Oh, no!

BEN: The toughest Power Towers...

I'm coming for that Power Tower. Probably, maybe, hopefully.

..as ninjas are tested like never before.

It's definitely a supercharged course.

Super-sized.

Tougher than ever.

BEN: Can they conquer the mountain again?