Original subtitles

BEN FORDHAM: It is the toughest obstacle course on earth...

Oh, no!

And in two decades,

only ten people have had what it takes to complete it.

Now it's Australia's turn.

I want to be Australia's first... Australia's first...

Australia's first...

Ninja... Warrior.

Last night, our second heat saw 50 competitors

take on the qualifying course

and 18 landed a spot in the semis.

You beauty! (CHEERING)

BEC MADDERN: I did not expect that!

Tonight, our third qualifying heat

and 50 new competitors will face a new course,

featuring the Bom Slider,

the Cargo with Lache

and the Ball & Chain.

Ready to give it their best shot

are fitness warrior Sheena-Lauren Steinert...

You're going into an arena to fight to the death.

Chippy Sam Goodall's mates can't believe he's taking on this course.

And they were like, "Don't you have to be really fit to do that?"

And I'm like, "Yeah."

And Samson and John from Justice Crew take their shot at the course.

We're about to serve justice... On you, Ninja Warrior.

Just 18 will qualify for the semifinals,

as the search continues for Australia's first Ninja Warrior.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Hello, everyone. I'm Ben Fordham. I'm Freddie Flintoff.

And I'm Rebecca Maddern.

And welcome to Australian Ninja Warrior.

This week, we joined a global phenomenon

the puts everyday athletes up against out-of-this-world obstacles.

This competition is tough. It's win or fail.

And there are no prizes for second place.

Yeah, it's harsh but fair, Bec,

and what makes it even harder is the atmosphere,

because it is electric here on Ninja Island.

The crowd is buzzing.

The course looks sensational

and when you step up to the gate under those big lights,

the adrenaline kicks in.

And the nerves, Freddie, they're not far behind.

Yeah, but that can go both ways, Ben.

For some, the atmosphere and the lights will make them nervous

and that can affect their performance.

But for others, they step up. They find another gear.

They do things that maybe they've never done in the gym.

Those are the most special moments for me.

Well, tonight, six obstacles stand in the way of their quest

to reach the finals and scale Mount Midoriyama.

We've got a few new ones tonight. Let's take a look.

As with all heats, competitors start on the Quintuple Steps -

five angled platforms 1.5m apart.

Next up our first new obstacle - the Bom Slider.

Competitors ride down a zip line

which jolts to a stop 2.2m short of the platform.

They've got to time their release perfectly

so momentum carries them the remaining distance.

Our old friend the Bridge of Blades requires fast feet and a light step.

Our second new obstacle is the Cargo with Lache.

Competitors must bounce from a trampoline up to the first bar,

then swing like a trapeze artist to a second bar that's even higher.

From there, it's onto the cargo net and down to the mat.

Next, the Ball & Chain, another new obstacle.

This tests grip strength and dexterity,

as competitors must use the ball to swing across the pool onto a chain

and then down to safety.

That only leaves the toughest of them all,

the much-feared Warped Wall, a 4.2m vertical run.

Reach the top, hit the buzzer

and you've booked a spot in the semifinals.

First up tonight, we have a competitor

who is hoping to carve up the course.

From Strathalbyn in South Australia, it's butcher Jim Delderfield.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: Strathalbyn is a very small town.

Everyone knows everyone else

and the butcher's kind of the centre of the town.

Can I have four of your sausages, please?

Yeah, sure.

I started working here as a butcher after school, washing dishes,

and then the boss, Craig, he offered me a school-based apprenticeship.

Now I'm a fully qualified butcher and loving it.

MAN: I've been working with Jim for the last eight years.

I wouldn't say I work with him.

I basically carry him most of the time.

He's basically treating this as a training facility.

He spends more time lifting the carcasses

rather than bringing them out and cutting them up, so, yeah.

Hi, darling.

I think he's crazy taking on Ninja Warrior

but I think he's gonna do amazing.

I imagine the whole town is gonna know I'm in Ninja Warrior

and I'm sure they're all gonna be behind it.

BEC: Here are four people who are definitely behind him,

his girlfriend Karen, his workmate Mark and Mum and Dad.

(BEEP) (CHEERING)

BEN: And here he goes.

You can probably see a few spots of rain.

That's going to make things very slippery,

so Jim is taking care on these Quintuple Steps.

Easy. Keep going. Keep going.

He's through the steps. No problem.

Now, the first of our new obstacles tonight, the Bom Slider.

This one is scary because it jolts to a stop well short of the platform

and you've got to time your jump to get the rest of the way across.

Oh! Oh!

And that is definitely not how you do it.

Yeah, look, Jim had plenty of momentum coming down the slider,

but that jolt just caught him by surprise.

He let go a fraction too late, so his body swung up instead of forward.

Man, disappointed. That was hard.

(SIGHS) That's tough. That's tough.

Bad luck for butcher Jim. He didn't make the cut.

We have high hopes for our next competitor, Bec.

She is Katie Williams. She'll speed through this course.

A champion sprinter and fitness blogger,

she's got the credentials to go all the way.

KATIE: I love the crowd, I love the cameras and I love the experience.

Bring it on.

My best achievement is a world gold medal in the beach flags,

which is in beach sprinting.

I've always run.

It's taken me to Japan, New Zealand, France,

so, for me, this is a really nice opportunity to show off my skills

and my talents away from the sprinting track.

To become Australia's top Ninja Warrior, it would mean everything.

It would be insane.

For me, if I can just get through the heat, press that buzzer,

up that wall... (CLICKS TONGUE) dreams come true.

(CHEERING)

BEC: Cheering Katie on, we've got her number one supporter there

on the right, her dad, and her training partners...

Come on, Katie! ..and Michael.

MAN: Come on, Willie!

(BEEP) (CHEERING)

She says she's a tomboy at heart.

She believes that Ninja Warrior is the ultimate challenge

for any athlete.

And so far, using hands, feet to make sure of every single move.

MAN: Use your hips! Use your hips!

Second obstacle now, Freddie. FREDDIE: The Bom Slider.

Both hands on the top, looking to gather momentum

and then a huge leap down the other side and she's away.

Oh! Gosh, I hope she's OK. That didn't look good.

Massive. Epic slam. (LAUGHS)

You might have heard Luke on the sideline say, "Use your hips."

And he's right.

When the slider stops, you got to throw your hips up and forward.

But Katie lost her grip with her left hand,

so she couldn't launch herself onto the mat.

Hello, Katie. Are you OK? That was a spectacular finish.

Oh, my gosh. I wasn't expecting to be whiplashed.

I should've jumped before,

but I didn't expect it to stop so aggressively.

Oh, well, I got wet. (LAUGHS)

Well, our newest obstacle is proving a real challenge.

Two up, two down for the Bom Slider.

Oh, my god. Well done. Well done.

Like, it whiplashed me. Like, it just got me.

Can our next competitor master it?

He's a chippy from Western Australia - Sam Goodall.

All my colleagues are like, "Heard you're doing this Ninja Warrior."

And I'm like, "Yeah."

And they're like, "Don't you have to be really fit to do that?"

And I'm like, "Yeah."

And then they're like, "Are you sure you're that fit?"

And I'm like, "I don't know. That's what I'm gonna find out."

Typical day on a site as a carpenter

would involve climbing around on scaffolding,

getting up on the roof, carrying tools, carrying timber.

It's a pretty intense training ground

and you really have to be on your game

and you have to keep that up all day.

MAN: Oh...

Three years ago, I had a bad motorbike accident.

Oh, gee...

I broke my right leg.

It was quite a bad break.

The doctor said that there was a high chance that I could lose it.

Yeah, it made me start thinking pretty seriously

about what my future held.

My family relies on me to stay fit and healthy and provide for them.

Being able to walk around and actually train again

is something that really motivates me to want to try and do better.

A bit of a shame that my wife and daughter couldn't make it

but, yeah, I'm really hoping that,

yeah, they'll enjoy watching me on the screen.

Hopefully I can do something that they'll be proud of.

(CHEERING)

Who doesn't love a tradie?

And when he's got a smile like Sam Goodall, it's just a bonus.

(BEEP) (CHEERING)

Do you like his chances, Freddie?

He's built his own course in his garden just so he can practise.

Well, let's see if that's gonna pay off,

as he negotiates the Quintuple Steps with a degree of ease.

But I'm guessing he doesn't have anything like the Bom Slider.

Will it be third time lucky?

(CROWD CHANTS) The crowd's on his side.

Come on, Sam. Here he goes.

Oooh... And he's there! He's done it!

The first ninja through on the Bom Slider.

BEC: Now onto the Bridge of Blades.

These platforms spin beneath your feet.

Oh, it never moved! The blades never moved!

Cargo with Lache.

It's the mini tramp up onto two uneven bars and then the cargo net.

So you've got to swing

and you've got to boost yourself up, which is extremely difficult.

Takes a lot of mental and physical toughness...

Oh! And he slipped, just like that!

(BUZZ) That's how difficult it is.

How do you get up there from that height and lift yourself even higher?

That's the challenge.

Sam had the swing

but just lacked the confidence to let his right hand go.

He ended up stuck in between

and there's only one way that was going to end.

Oh, very disappointed, actually. Yeah. Yep, very disappointing.

Now, although Sam didn't complete the course,

remember, the top 18 competitors

who make it the furthest in the fastest time

qualify for the semifinals, so it's not over yet for this tradie from WA.

Coming up, the 'Barefoot Ninja'.

You won't believe where this bloke goes without his shoes.

But it's still a big step up to Ninja Island.

Plus, they've made it to the top of the charts,

but can the boys from Justice Crew

reach new heights and scale the Warped Wall?

(SINGSONGS) It's gonna be me. Oooh. Nice.

And later, Sheena-Lauren Steinert, also known as the 'Fitness Warrior'.

You've never met anyone like her.

I am going to be the first Australian Ninja Warrior!

BEN: Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior,

where a new obstacle is creating big waves.

Of the first three competitors,

only tradie Sam Goodall made it past the Bom Slider.

Oooh... Yes!

And over the break, three more competitors took their shots.

24-year-old Oscar Paik is a gymnast...

Oh!

..which might explain his spectacular dismount.

Former BMX champion Meghan Jarvis got the height

but couldn't go the distance.

Oh, that's a big crash!

And Peter Wand had plenty of speed

but failed to convert that speed into the lift he needed

to make it to the mat.

FREDDIE: Oh, no, Wandy, lad! Wandy, lad! Wandy!

There was nothing magic about that.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

All rise. Our next Ninja is a barrister - Steven Lowry.

He was once the youngest barrister in Victoria.

Can he become the first Australian Ninja Warrior?

(CHEERING)

(GAVEL BANGS)

I'm definitely a competitive person in everything - professionally...

That was a good job, cross-examining, Steve.

..personally. How was the gym today?

Yeah, got a new time on the rower.

Extremely competitive.

Steven just wants to be the best he can be in everything he does.

At 24, he was the youngest barrister in Victoria at the time.

That just proves the type of person he is.

He wants to outshine everyone, even himself.

(PLAYS MELODY)

The motivation to achieve really comes from my dad.

He was an extremely high achiever. He was a very decorated war veteran.

He was also a very successful professor in Australia as well.

Two years ago, my father passed away.

I was actually running a half-marathon the following day.

The next morning, I didn't know what to do -

did I get up and go and run the event anyway?

And I thought, you know, sure enough, I better do that.

That's what he would've wanted.

My dad would be thrilled with what I've achieved so far.

So I'll definitely take on the Ninja Warrior course in memory of my dad.

(CHEERING)

You got it, Steve.

Whoo! Whoo!

(BEEP) (CHEERING)

BEN: Steven Lowry, 33 years of age, from Victoria,

takes on the Quintuple Steps

and he's making sure of each and every step along the way,

using both feet, both hands.

Some have just skipped through using their feet.

Others want to make sure

that they have found their way to the end of that obstacle.

Now, I want to give him some advice here.

He can't hear me,

but what you need to do is pull your body back

and then launch forward to build that momentum

and do this all in one go.

OK. Well, only one competitor has made it past this one.

He's pulled back. Yeah.

He pushes forward. Whoo...

And he's not there!

Bec Maddern, your advice didn't pay off on that occasion.

Well, it was good but, you know, he didn't execute it.

It was great in theory...

(LAUGHS) It was. ..don't get me wrong.

Steven had a good push off from the start

but he got himself twisted sideways and missed his timing,

once again letting go too late and coming up short.

It's still early in the heat,

but he's the sixth competitor to fail on the Bom Slider.

Steven, I'm not one to judge... (LAUGHTER)

You reckon being in the courtroom's easier?

Oh, yeah, definitely. That was a tough course.

Depends what side of the law you're on.

Steven, thanks very much. It was a great effort.

Maybe see you again. Thank you. Yeah, definitely.

Whoo-hoo-hoo!

BEC: Our competitors will be talking out the back about the Bom Slider.

It's gotta be playing on a few minds.

Just another layer of pressure they could all do without.

Up next, it's personal trainer Maggie-Laurie Spark,

a former Australian volleyball player and mum

who says she's doing this for all the mums out there.

Let's go! Go, Maggie!

MAGGIE: I'm six foot tall.

I often have guys come up and try and sneakily stand behind me

and, like, do these signs all the time. (LAUGHS)

I'm like, "Yes, I know you're there and, yes, I am taller than you."

(LAUGHS)

I got into volleyball from high school.

That's where my height really came in handy.

There is no better feeling than a shutdown block

on someone who's trying to spike the ball at you.

It is awesome.

My son Dallas, he is so much fun and active

and he does not stop moving ever.

We just like hanging out together.

My favourite time is just playing with him and watching him grow

and spending time with my husband, 'Sparky'.

I decided to enter Ninja Warrior for myself

because it's the first thing I've really done for myself

since having Dallas.

But also, I work with a lot of mums as well

and I want to show them that anything is possible if that's what you want.

If that's what you desire, you can create it.

(CHEERING) Big support here for Maggie.

Husband Stephen on the right, with their little boy Dallas

and Mum and Nan up there in the stands.

Breathe, Maggie! Breathe! You got this!

Breathe, darling!

(BEEP)

BEN: She is a crowd favourite, that's for sure.

A powerful lower body.

Her height may come in handy too.

That's it. All the way.

Get it, darl. Through the quintuple.

But here comes the Bom Slider, Freddie.

FREDDIE: The Bom Slider - claimed many victims so far.

Easy. Get on. MAN: OK, slide, Mags. Get ready.

Here's the grip on the top. But she's got long legs, long arms.

Yes, Maggie. Yes, Maggie's through with ease.

She points to the crowd. She's pumped. Oh, yeah, she's pumped.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Bridge of Blades. You gotta be quick.

WOMAN: Quick, Maggie. Quick, Mag. Quick, Maggie.

Oh, fast feet for such a tall woman!

BEC: Feeding off the energy of the crowd at the moment.

Come on, Mags, let's go.

Cargo with Lache next.

Here's the thing, Bec.

If she can get through these next two,

she is a real chance of that Warped Wall.

The question is, does she have the upper body strength

to deal with the next two obstacles in front of her?

Here we go.

So far so good.

Heads up. Heads up. Heads up.

Come on, Maggie. Everyone wants you to do it.

Yes! She's up! Heads up.

The net in front of her.

Bent arms! Bent arms!

So much swing.

Oh! Oh, no, Maggie!

So close. So much disappointment.

Yeah!

Maggie showed great technique

swinging from the low bar to the high bar.

But this course just wears you out.

When she transferred to the cargo net,

she caught it a little low and didn't have the grip strength to hold on.

Maggie, it was going so well. I know. (LAUGHS)

It was going so well. You were shouting to the crowd.

I just couldn't hold on! I just couldn't hold on!

Maggie, all your friends and people are there waiting to see you.

The crowd love you. Congratulations, Maggie. Great effort.

I'm sure Maggie's made a lot of mums proud tonight.

Just the second person to beat the Bom Slider

and still well in the running for a place in the semifinals.

Hi, bubba!

But will she hold that position in the top 18

with so many more competitors yet to run?

BEN: Bec, we're still waiting for our first woman

to get up that Warped Wall.

But out in the warm-up area is one of our most decorated gymnasts,

who might just break the drought.

Georgia Bonora will be on the course later.

I've been to the Olympics twice. Ninja Warrior, I'm coming for you.

The pressure is on for the Ravi brothers, Mark and David,

who love Ninja Warrior so much

they opened Australia's first Ninja Academy.

But can they practice what they teach?

Growing up, I was always more of a natural athlete than him...

You're not a natural athlete. I'm more of a natural athlete.

He's not a natural athlete.

And next, Hollywood stuntman Luke Ha

has his eyes set on a brand-new stage.

Mount Midoriyama, I've got you in my sights.

Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior,

where the Bom Slider is proving to be

the most difficult obstacle we've seen.

WOMAN: Oh!

Out of eight competitors so far,

six have failed to negotiate the 2.2m leap

from the end of the slide to the platform.

FREDDIE: Oh! Another victim of the Bom Slider.

Question is, can our next competitor bridge the gap?

She's a firey from Melbourne - Anna Pidgeon.

My name is Anna Pidgeon.

I am a 36-year-old firefighter and I'm from Melbourne, Victoria.

I love that when I show up to work, I never know what's gonna happen.

(BEEPING) Oooh.

(MUFFLED PA ANNOUNCEMENT)

There aren't very many women fireys in this industry at the moment,

I think partly because little girls don't know they can be firefighters.

(SIREN WAILS)

One of the reasons that I do things like Ninja Warrior,

why I do things like being a firefighter

is because I like to show people

that women can do whatever it is that they want to do.

If you just grab it by both hands and give it your best shot,

then no-one can stop you.

The role of being a firefighter is physically demanding,

so we have to keep ourselves in shape.

I go to the gym, work out and keep fit and physical,

because you never know when that call's gonna come

that needs you to be on complete top form.

I got married just last week, so I now have a husband.

He is a huge influence on my life.

Anna is strong, capable, motivated and she's great.

(LAUGHS)

Pidgeon!

BEN: And there's her new hubby, Luke, on the sideline.

(BEEP) (CHEERING)

WOMAN: Go get them, Pidge!

And she's now underway on the Quintuple Steps.

Good start. Take it easy.

She's the only woman at her station,

so she knows what it's like to compete against the boys.

And that's what she's doing tonight.

That's good. That's good. Yeah, nice.

And she's through the Quintuple Steps.

Psyching herself up for this one.

Bec, she's just got to concentrate

on the moment the slider hits the end of this line.

Feet first. Feet first.

And have a look at the determination on the face of Anna at the moment.

Here she comes on the Bom Slider.

Can she make it? Oh!

Bombs out into the water on the second obstacle. Bad luck.

It can bring some top competitors unstuck, Freddie.

Anna, you're still smiling. ANNA: (LAUGHS) Yeah.

It was a spectacular dismount.

I thought it might be, yeah. It felt pretty spectacular.

That was always gonna be the one, I reckon. (LAUGHS)

This is proving to be an extremely technical obstacle.

Anna's problem was her arms were too straight.

She couldn't absorb the shock when the slider stopped,

so she lost that grip and the rest is history.

Get the simplest thing wrong and you're another Bom Slider victim.

MAN: Good job. That's alright. Yeah.

Look, they're still cleaning up your splat.

Awesome. (ANNA LAUGHS)

BEC: Our next competitor will be hoping to avoid Anna's fate.

He's taken his fair share of hits in his life.

PEOPLE: (CHANT) Ha! Ha! He's movie stuntman Luke Ha.

LUKE: Being a stuntman is enjoyable because my office is a playground.

As a stuntman, I appeared in Mel Gibson's film 'Hacksaw Ridge',

'Ghost In the Shell' with Scarlett Johansson

and 'Tomorrow When the War Began', the TV series.

Some of the most exciting things I've been able to do

are running into battle as a Japanese soldier

and getting blown up with a bomb next to me about 2m away,

hit the ground hard...

get up again and run around and do it again.

When I hit the start line, I'll be looking at my wife and my son.

My wife is my biggest supporter. I couldn't do this without her.

My son is not yet two but he is doing his own training.

He's doing Toddler Warrior. (LAUGHS)

Being a stuntman and a circus performer,

I think I have a fairly good chance.

I think that the upper body strength

that I have from climbing ropes and poles

gives me a good opportunity to win the title.

Mount Midoriyama, I've got you in my sights.

(CHEERING) PEOPLE: (CHANT) Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

BEC: His wife and baby Levi are on the sideline,

also his mum and his training buddy.

(BEEP) (CHEERING)

BEN: Luke Ha is underway.

Oh, going fast.

He just saves himself there.

WOMAN: (CHEERS) Good job!

Go into it hard, bro. Punch out of it.

Up to the Bom Slider. Freddie, what's the trick here?

FREDDIE: When the slider comes to a stop, he needs to propel his body.

Oooh, a little sideways. Oh!

(LAUGHS)

And just does it by the skin of his teeth.

He's psyching himself up for the Bridge of Blades.

Fast, low steps needed here. Treat it like running on hotplates.

That was perfect! (CHEERING)

Cargo with Lache up next.

No-one's made it through this obstacle yet.

PEOPLE: Go, Luke, go! "Go, Luke, go," yells the crowd.

Oh, he nails that jump. What an athlete.

And look at that swing.

He starts to get that pendulum happening.

Hangs onto the second bar.

Have a look at the legs flip up into the eye.

Oh, yes! (LAUGHS)

He's found the net, Bec. MAN: Fantastic!

That's it. Brilliant work, Luke Ha.

But he looks a bit tangled.

He's coming in head first, but it's working for our stuntman.

This is the difficult bit to negotiate.

Just make sure there's no slip or slide.

Stay away from that water. (CHEERING)

The crowd is loving him.

But now there's another new obstacle to face, the Ball & Chain.

Little baby Levi there

not really understanding what's going on at this point,

but one day Levi will be watching back these highlights,

as Mum throws the fist into the air

and gives Luke Ha all of the encouragement in the world.

PEOPLE: Go, Luke, go!

He's up.

But, Freddie, it's hard to get a grip on that ball.

FREDDIE: Oooh. Nearly went there.

Went for the second in a rush. But he's onto it now.

Got to swing onto the last chain.

WOMAN: You can do it! You can do it, Luke!

His hand's slipping down. Gotta get a tight grip on this.

Trying to use his legs, trying to use his feet.

He's figured it out.

He's climbed a rope or two, this guy.

He wants to be climbing a wall soon.

And he's across! (CHEERING)

Our first competitor to face the Warped Wall.

Luke Ha, the Hollywood stuntman.

Worked with the likes of Mel Gibson and Scarlet Johansson.

But he's centre stage right now.

PEOPLE: Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

Beat the wall! Beat the wall! Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

This man is so determined and so strong. And he's there!

LUKE: Yeah! Oh, yeah!

(ROARS)

That's the best celebration we've seen!

This means so much to our competitors!

Is he the happiest man on Ninja Island or what?

Enjoy it, mate. Celebrate.

How did it feel, buddy? Very good!

Great effort!

Look how close Luke came to disaster.

He lost his grip on the second ball.

All his weight was on his right hand.

He should've fallen right there.

Instead, he fought his way back and all the way up the Warped Wall.

Whoo-hoo!

FREDDIE: Luke Ha, come in now, please, mate.

It's all got too much for Levi. He's fast asleep.

But you was getting pretty animated on the side.

Heart in your mouth at any stage?

Oh, yeah, 'cause I knew, when we were talking about

what could be here, Luke was worried about this one, but he nailed it.

(LAUGHS) Nailed it you did, mate.

You're going through to the semifinal. Congratulations.

Ladies and gentlemen, big hand for Luke Ha.

Not too loud. Don't want to wake the child up.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Ahead on Ninja Warrior,

Justice Crew put their musical moves to the ultimate test.

We're a crew... And we're about to serve justice...

On you, Ninja Warrior.

She's less than five feet tall but her hopes are high -

trainer Betsy Burnett.

What I don't have in height, I make up for in heart, soul, power, speed,

everything else that you can think of.

And after the break, Barefoot Ninja Daniel Mason.

Good luck, Dan. We know you can do it. You're gonna be awesome.

Alright? Good luck. Let's have fun. Let's have fun.

Let's go.

BEC: The competitors on Australian Ninja Warrior

all want to make it through the course in record time.

BEN: But it's the ninja who goes furthest and fastest

that will be given the title of Performance of the Night.

Thanks to Berocca.

Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior,

where, out in the warm-up gym, we go from one extreme to the other.

Our tallest competitor, baseballer Rory Rhodes, he's 6'9".

Also warming up, trainer Betsy Burnett at just 4'11".

Who will go further? We'll find out soon.

But right now, stepping up is a competitor

who's convinced he can beat the course.

He's Adelaide drummer Karim Kamara.

KARIM: I was born in Cairo, Egypt and I moved to Australia in 2001.

My dad passed away when I was a baby.

But I think my mum did a really good job of raising us all

and moving us to Australia.

It was very difficult because I couldn't really speak any English.

It probably took me a couple of years before I readjusted.

But once I started to play music, you know,

that made it easier to, you know,

communicate with people and find new friends.

(PLAYS ENERGETIC SOLO)

To me, music is a way for me to express myself,

just being able to articulate what I'm feeling

through different grooves and different beats.

Karim is an insane musician.

He's also probably the fittest person I know.

He's very passionate once he gets his mind to something he wants to do

and he wants to do it to the best of his ability.

I train every day.

I do a lot of mixed martial arts, karate and tae kwon do,

Brazilian jujitsu as well.

I feel like I've overcome a lot of my challenges

and I think competing in Ninja Warrior

is that little something extra that will make me more complete, I guess.

(LAUGHS)

BEC: Unfortunately, Karim's mum couldn't make it tonight.

No doubt, they're all watching on proudly at home.

BEN: Here he goes.

Oh, how quick can you go through the Quintuple Steps?

Wow. You can't go faster than that.

That's the fastest we've seen tonight.

He had jets in his shoes! Here he comes.

Karim onto the Bom Slider.

Oh, look how he gets that lift.

I think they're starting to work this one out.

Now he's about to tackle the Bridge of Blades.

Freddie, how's it looking down there?

FREDDIE: Looking down the course. Needs fast feet.

Just needs to drive through.

Oh!

I think the stewards are gonna have a look at that one.

(BUZZ)

Can't use your hands on the top or over the top.

That's right, Freddie. Let's have a look at the replay.

He didn't mean to, but Karim has used his hands to help himself along.

And the rules clearly state you're not allowed to do that.

It's an instant disqualification.

He's gonna be disappointed with that, Ben.

See, even when you think that you've got someone pegged,

they can surprise you, such is the nature of Australian Ninja Warrior.

Next up is a man

who is less concerned about his hands than his feet.

They call him the Barefoot Ninja - osteopath Daniel Mason.

DANIEL: When I was younger, I had a lot of injuries with my sporting.

I got told that I needed to wear orthotics

and so did a bit of research

into how I could avoid that

and found out that walking barefoot

was a great way to keep your feet strong.

Started using it in my training and now I do hikes barefoot,

rock climbing barefoot and go barefoot just about everywhere else.

My main sport has probably been gymnastics.

Yeah, I think there's a bit of an expectation on us to do pretty well,

but I don't know, it's the tall, reachy guys

are the ones I think are the ones to look out for.

So, if I can get through, I'd be pretty proud.

BEC: Can't believe this.

Daniel didn't even wear shoes at his wedding,

but his wife Maddy will be shocked to see he's wearing them tonight.

He has to, for safety reasons.

(BEEP) (CHEERING)

Daniel is only 5'6".

But no problem on the Quintuple Steps.

This one, though, is the tricky one, Freddie.

Lots of momentum, Dan.

FREDDIE: We've seen some pretty spectacular wipe-outs

on the Bom Slider this evening.

Daniel will not want to be one of those.

Needs to get the speed, needs to get the pace,

needs to take the momentum onto...

Oh, my word. (CHEERING)

I don't think we've seen anyone better

on that obstacle this evening.

Wow. That's it, bud. Yeah!

Oooh, a bit ugly. But he's through.

Wearing shoes tonight is paying off for Daniel Mason.

Now the Cargo with Lache.

Come on, Dan.

He'll need to get a good spring off the trampoline.

Well done. Got it.

Come on. You've got it. You've got it, Dan.

He looks really strong and controlled overhead, Ben.

He looks relaxed as well. And he finds the net.

Whoo! Come on, Dan.

Crawls his way down it

like a daddy-long-legs coming down a spider web.

Nice work, Dan.

But this is the main game for him now.

A very difficult obstacle - the Ball & Chain.

You can do this, Dan. WOMAN: Come on, Dan.

You can do this.

It starts with this chain.

Yes! (CHEERING)

You don't wanna be up there for too long.

Get those fingers in between.

You really need to get the grip right on that ball.

This is where Luke nearly came unstuck.

But he's there. Come on.

You've got this. Great transition.

The sooner you can get off these chains and balls, the better.

Yes! That was so close, but he got there.

He has made the Warped Wall. Beat that wall!

This thing is two and a half times Daniel's height.

In shoes or not, it's a big ask.

PEOPLE: Beat the wall! Beat the wall! Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

Go, go, go, go, go!

Oh, Daniel Mason! Does that very well!

Daniel Mason, put your hand on that big red buzzer!

Pump your arms in the air! You have made it!

The shoes go off! He hates the shoes! The Barefoot Ninja!

(CHEERING)

Daniel might have had a bit of trouble with his feet in the past,

but not tonight.

Not a big man, but a natural athlete.

He looked completely in control

and he set the fastest time of the night so far.

Wow. How fast do you reckon you'd go with no shoes on?

(LAUGHS) A bit faster, I reckon. They were slowing me down.

(LAUGHTER) That was amazing. Great effort.

Family and friends all here supporting you.

How good was he? He was amazing. (LAUGHS)

Aw, isn't that sweet? Congratulations. A great effort.

Ladies and gentlemen, let's give it up for the Barefoot Ninja!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Daniel's time puts him ahead of Luke Ha,

our only other finisher so far tonight, on top of the leader board.

From there, it's who's gone the furthest in the fastest time.

And with the Bom Slider wrecking havoc,

chippy Sam Goodall and volleyballer Maggie-Laurie Spark

are still in the hunt for a semifinal place.

But there are plenty more challengers to come,

including the Fitness Warrior herself, Sheena-Lauren Steinert,

who's certainly pulling no punches.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to be that little kid -

give me a sticker, well done, we all participate.

I want to (BLEEP) win it.

The Ravi brothers, Mark and David.

They built Australia's first Ninja Warrior gym.

Will their massive investment pay off?

Just like that Dave, alright? Just like that.

Gee, mate.

BEC: And warming up now to run after the break,

Cobi Head, a soldier with superhero ambitions.

I may want to be Captain America,

but I'll give it all up to be Australia's first Ninja Warrior.

It takes all types.

Our competitors are so varied, and that's what we love.

And we love the chant going up around Ninja Island -

"Barefoot Ninja."

Who's the next star of Australian Ninja Warrior?

We'll find out right after this.

Welcome back to Ninja Island,

where I'm afraid to say the Bom Slider is still taking no prisoners.

Personal trainer David Zullo became the 13th competitor to fail.

Oh! Oh, no!

FREDDIE: David Zullo!

Soon followed by number 14, navy diver Kyle Janks.

Oh!

And swimming pool lifeguard Bec Akdemir

couldn't save herself and became unlucky victim 15.

Oh! And it all just ends like that.

BEC: Oh, that was really scary. I was...

Yeah, just happened so fast.

Taking his chance on course now

is our tallest competitor, baseballer Rory Rhodes.

6'9", 110 kg. Freddie, talk us through it.

As he comes down the Bom Slider,

the one thing I think he's got to be careful,

that he's touching the water.

Them long limbs, them long legs.

Oh, yeah, too easy.

Nearly bangs his head on the top scaffolding.

Wow. He's got pace as well. Straight through 'BOB'.

Now, I'm not sure if this trampoline is necessary.

He might just stand on it and lean forward.

Oh, boing. Oh, look at that.

He does seem well in control here, Freddie.

Look at the smile on his face,

even though he's testing his upper body to the extreme.

You just get the feeling watching him here,

this man is just going to churn his way through this course.

Oooh! There you go.

Well, this is quite incredible,

because some people at 6'9" aren't as flexible or aren't as agile

as they need to be to move through this course.

But with him, it doesn't seem to matter.

Look at the arms. They're like tree trunks.

They are. They're huge! His wingspan is huge!

Oooh! Oooh, he's so close.

Careful. Careful.

Go up higher. Go higher up the chain. Well done.

Oh... Oh, no!

(BUZZ) Straight into the water!

I suppose the good news is he stayed mostly dry.

Jokes aside, Rory's such a big guy,

it takes a toll carrying that much weight through the course.

You can literally see his grip strength giving out on the chain.

He's slipping down even as he reaches for the ball.

Rory, one of the few competitors I've actually had to look up to.

And it was going so well and then just lost your grip.

Do you think the height was a disadvantage there?

Yeah, I think the weight came into a little bit.

Yeah, just holding my own body weight up,

that's 110kg right there, so, pretty tough for me.

Top man, Rory. Well done, pal. Great effort, mate.

Now going from our tallest competitor to one of our shortest.

Can pocket rocket Betsy Burnett go above and beyond

and be the first female to reach the top of the Warped Wall?

Let's go! You got this, Bets!

BETSY: I am 4'11" and a half - and the half is very important.

(LAUGHS)

I think my height will have both advantages and disadvantages.

My strength-to-power ratio for my weight and my height is very good.

Like, I can build up a lot of power in a short amount of time

using my body,

but then, I don't have very long arms or legs,

so reaching for things and all that kind of stuff,

we'll see how that goes.

When I'm standing there on the start line, I'll be looking at my sisters,

looking at my mum and dad and I know that they'll be cheering me on,

getting me pumped, ready to go.

(CHEERING)

WOMAN: You got this, Bets! You got it!

And there they are, Mum, Dad and Betsy's sisters, Lucy and Geraldine.

(BEEP) Yes, Bets!

BEN: Here she comes, Betsy Burnett.

Yes, Betsy! WOMAN: Come on, Bets!

Yes!

Being so short,

she really has to drive from her glutes and her quads here

to get from one step to the other.

Scrambles up the wall. Well done.

MAN: Come on! Come on!

Now, remember, there's a massive 2.2m gap

between the spot that the slider stops and the landing pad.

Can she do it?

(CHEERING) And she makes it!

Lifts her legs, lands on the mat.

She's happy. The crowd's happy.

She regains her composure...

WOMAN: Go, Betsy!

..before tackling the Bridge of Blades.

Go, Betsy! Oh, yes!

Yes!

She's happy about it. She's ecstatic, in fact.

Now, this is gonna be a tough obstacle for Betsy.

MAN: Come on, Betsy!

Unlike Rory, she's going to need every centimetre of height

she can get out of this trampoline.

Come on, Betsy.

WOMAN: You got it!

Heavens to Betsy! No. Oh!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Given another try, I think Betsy would get this.

She just rushed her bounce off the trampoline

and didn't get the maximum energy out of the springs.

But look how close she got.

Her fingertips actually brush the bar.

Well done, Betsy! You're a winner! Nice work!

Well, Betsy, the family are behind you, cheering you on.

There's your towel.

My dad would love to meet you, Freddie.

Your dad would love to meet me? Yeah, because he's English.

He's English? What a lucky fella. (LAUGHS)

On the course tonight, was it just a lack of height?

You managed to get a big spring.

Actually, I just... I could've...

My fingers touched it, so it was just a luck of the draw on the night.

And it was so much fun, so, yeah, it was awesome.

Well done! WOMAN: Well done, Betsy!

Thanks for coming out tonight and I look forward to meeting your dad.

Cheers, Betsy.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

BEC: Our next competitor has a history of saving the day -

army fitness instructor Cobi Head.

COBI: I look up to Captain America, what he stands for - truth, justice.

He always does the right thing, even if it's unpopular.

I firmly believe in that and I try to inspire people to do the same.

My job at the moment is an army training instructor.

Taking care of soldiers in order to do their job within the defence force

I think is one of the most important things that I can do.

Before I was a training instructor, I was a rifleman

and also deployed to Iraq on sector in 2007.

Being an active serviceman in a war-torn environment

is extremely physically demanding.

Your mind is always switched on.

That also takes it out of you as well.

I may want to be Captain America

but I'd give it all up to be Australia's first Ninja Warrior.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) MAN: Onya, Cobe!

BEC: Some of Cobi's fans - his dad and cousins there on the sideline.

He is ready.

Oh, I'm so nervous.

(BEEP) (CHEERING)

Cobi is from the Northern Territory.

Not many athletes from the Northern Territory,

so it's great to have that represented tonight.

BEN: He wasted no time with the Quintuple Steps.

And now the Bom Slider.

Oh, he does that easily and jets his way through the Bridge of Blades.

Bec, I'm struggling to keep up with this bloke.

OK, Cargo Net with Lache.

Onto that first bar.

MAN: Grab it. Lands the second bar.

(MAN CALLS OUT)

And now time for the net.

Yes! Whoo!

MAN: Go, buddy!

Keep up. Keep your legs up.

He loves the Marvel movies.

And I tell you what, he's behaving like a superhero right now.

The Warped Wall is in sight, but first here's the Ball & Chain.

Onto the first chain. Grabs that first ball with his left hand.

Alright, what are you gonna do now, Cobi?

Yeah!

He answers that question

by transferring his weight and still holds on.

He doesn't waste too long to get onto the last chain.

Yeah!

He's up to the Warped Wall.

Here we go.

I think this might be the first time

he's actually paused to consider what he's going to do.

But he takes on the wall and beats it!

Flicks the right leg up, hits the buzzer!

You are a superhero tonight, Cobi!

What a time! One minute 12 seconds.

He's beaten the Barefoot Ninja's time by 44 seconds!

He has torn this course to shreds.

He'll be tough to beat in the semifinals.

Cobi, you're a big Marvel fan.

In the semifinal, are you sticking with Captain America,

or are we gonna see something new?

Nah, love Marvel but Cap's definitely my favourite.

Well, hopefully you can add Ninja Warrior to the Captain America.

Cheers, mate. Well done.

Cobi Head is now captain of our leader board,

taking top spot out from underneath our Barefoot Ninja's feet.

Betsy Burnett's performance has made her the fastest female so far,

currently sitting in 10th position.

But there are many top athletes yet to run.

Let's check the warm-up area.

The boys from Justice Crew are getting ready for their run.

They've conquered the entertainment world,

but can they cut it on the Ninja Island?

We'll find out soon.

Also coming up, a gold-plated gymnastics champion

who'll be putting a lifetime's Olympic training

into beating this course.

It's Georgia Bonora.

I definitely plan on winning Australian Ninja Warrior.

I couldn't leave without meeting your dad.

How are you? Nice to meet you. Freddie.

Where are you from? I'm from Hull, Freddie.

Hull? Wow. No wonder you've come here.

I know.

Anyway, right, I'm just gonna have a chat with Betsy's dad.

I'll just throw back to you two up there. Are you alright?

Thanks, Freddie. Don't go anywhere.

We have much more for you on the other side of the break

here on Ninja Island for Australian Ninja Warrior.

Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior.

With the Bom Slider proving to be

the most technically difficult obstacle we've encountered so far,

just three ninjas have completed the course.

(ROARS) Luke Ha...

Daniel Mason and Cobi Head.

Can our next two competitors add their name to the list of finishers?

It's the much-anticipated performance

from Justice Crew members Samson Smith and John Pearce.

Yeah! Yeah, Johnny!

♪ At the end of the day... ♪

There's not much difference in performing

and doing the Ninja Warrior.

We've sort of always got eyes on us. ♪ Que sera... ♪

I think under pressure makes us perform better.

Once we're about to go on stage, the nerves drop.

Once we hit those lights, boom, I'm ready.

To become the first Australian Ninja Warrior would be amazing.

But there can't be two of us, so it'd be...

It's gotta be me. (SINGSONGS) It's gonna be me.

(LAUGHS) Oooh, nice!

(LAUGHS)

He's my competitor.

That's all I'm thinking about - John. I gotta beat John.

And he's thinking the same.

I know you're thinking the same. Yeah. (LAUGHS)

We've been studying this for a while now.

We've been watching all the other series, the UK, the American series,

and just learning all the movements.

Up. Up. Let's go, let's go. Up, up, up.

That's it, don't give up. Pull, pull, pull!

(BOTH LAUGH)

There's no mucking around. No, we're here to win it, man.

We're a crew... And we're about to serve justice...

On you, Ninja Warrior.

(CHEERING) MAN: Let's go!

BEC: Samson is first up. Whoo!

John's on the sideline, with their mate Edward.

(BEEP)

BEN: Yeah, don't let the showbiz fool you.

These guys are seriously fit athletes

and could give this competition a shake.

Let's go. Monkey.

(LAUGHS) Can't help himself.

Yeah! (CHEERING)

Nicely done.

The Bom Slider will prove a big test, though.

Yeah, nice and big. Underway.

Oh... Oh, he's sideways. Oh, he's made it by a sneaker.

He's happy about that. All the way.

All the way, nice and fast.

Here he goes. Yeah!

Bolts his way through and it's a...

He tried to save himself there on the last blade,

got his feet on the mat.

But it just wasn't to be. Samson. Hearts breaking all over Australia.

At the end of the way, some you win, some you don't.

Having a dancer's light feet

should've helped Samson with the bridge, but watch his third step.

It lands far too heavily

and he's caught by the last platform as it spins around.

Samson, you're still smiling, mate.

Bit of an injustice there on the Bridge of Blades.

(BEC LAUGHS) But you look like you enjoyed it.

Oh, that was fun.

I just couldn't wait to come out here and do my biz.

And, oh, my gosh, that one was hard. Whew.

Yeah, it's all about speed through there.

Just hesitated a little bit? Yeah, no, I was.

Nerves got me... got me on top. OK, mate, well, never mind.

Ladies and gentlemen, crowd favourite Samson.

There's only one question being asked now.

Can John go further than Samson?

Bragging rights are on the line,

not to mention a Ninja Warrior title.

Well, they are a group dynamic.

John Pearce is certainly one of the frontmen of Justice Crew,

always out in the front row and getting a lot of attention,

for obvious reasons, Bec,

if you have a look at this well-sculptured young man.

Oh! Stop it!

(CHEERING)

(BEEP)

John used to be a professional sprinter

and he's wasting no time on the Quintuple Steps.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Hold on tight!

Yeah, they're fantastic entertainers, these guys,

and they really work off the crowd.

MAN: Go, John.

Let's see how he goes here.

Not the most stylish dismount but he's across.

Now the Bridge of Blades.

Get across here and he's got bragging rights over Samson...

No! He's gone in the water in the exact same spot!

Oooh! Ouch!

Oh, no. Got the same one as me, man.

MAN: Yeah.

John made exactly the same mistake as Samson,

landing too heavily on that third step.

And just like Samson, there was no way he was getting past the fourth.

John, you wanted to beat your mate Samson,

but you came off at exactly the same point.

JOHN: Yeah, that's what happens when you rehearse too much.

We do the same moves and we stuff up at the same spot.

Stop copying me!

At the start line, you did look pretty confident.

Well, that's what it's all about.

You gotta fake it till you make it.

Unfortunately, you didn't make it.

Anyway, ladies and gentlemen, let's have a big round of applause

for another Justice Crew member, John!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

BEN: Coming up, Ricko Tralongo lost his calf muscle in a car accident.

He's overcome that. Can he overcome the course?

No matter what life throws at you, there's always a way to get past it.

Ravi brothers David and Mark spend all day every day

working at their purpose-built Ninja Warrior training academy,

but will that prepare them for the pressure of the night?

Come on, slowpoke.

And right now in the warm-up gym,

focusing that energy, the night's biggest wild-card.

Go, Sheena!

Fitness Warrior Sheena-Lauren Steinert.

(ALL CHEER)

Come on, Sheena! Go, Sheena!

Welcome back.

Over the break, we witnessed more of our competitors

join the Bom Slider casualty list.

Vet nurse Miriam Gaulton.

Oh! Oh, no!

Former soldier Mick Gleeson.

FREDDIE: Oh, no!

And engineer Matt Walker became victim number 20.

Oh! That was ugly.

Very, very disappointed. Ah!

But we also had two more competitors making it into the top 18.

South Australian police diver Raoul Stone

was technically perfect as he forced his way into the semifinals.

Hard as a rock!

Raoul Stone, Australia.

And joining him there is Josh O'Sullivan.

He calls himself the 'Modern Mogley',

and took his unique look to the top of the Warped Wall.

Oh, yeah!

You are one of my favourites, young man!

And hoping to add her name to the leader board,

a woman who has the credentials to go all the way -

Olympic gymnast Georgia Bonora.

GEORGIA: I've been to two Olympic Games,

Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012.

And I went to a Commonwealth Games

and I won a gold, silver and bronze medal.

Training for the Olympics

was one of the most intense experiences I've had -

basically, woke up, trained, went to school, trained, came home, trained.

I started gymnastics when I was two and I retired when I was 24.

After training 20-plus years in gymnastics,

my purpose had disappeared, really.

Ninja Warrior has given me another purpose in my life, really.

It's given me focus, it's given me drive,

so I'm gonna put everything that I've got into this competition.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

BEC: She gives a big wave to the crowd.

And there is her sister and her friends

down there beside the course.

Yeah! Yeah, mate.

You've got this!

BEN: She said she's very determined

and she won't stop until she reaches her goal.

Her goal tonight is to get up to top of the Warped Wall.

As a gymnast, her... (LAUGHS)

Her balance really helped her through those Quintuple Steps.

You've got this! Come on!

Now the big one.

It'd be a disaster if she went out here.

And here she goes on the Bom Slider.

It's brought many professionals undone.

And she survives it in the most unorthodox fashion!

Take your time. Take your time. Get on there.

The Bridge of Blades.

And she's taking her time here

but the tip is that we've seen from other competitors

is you don't want to overthink this one, Ben.

Gotta bolt through it. She does it perfectly.

Light on her feet and just stops in time

and exhales as she realises that she was staring down row one.

(FRIENDS CHEER)

This is gonna be tough for her.

Only 55kg, so she needs to get a real big bounce on this tramp.

Go, George.

This is like an Olympic crowd cheering her on.

She's feeding off the crowd.

She should be pretty strong in the upper body.

Look at this.

You can see she's been to the Olympics once or twice.

That is great form on the bar.

Oh, look at the height!

Whoo!

So far, we've not seen a female competitor complete this obstacle.

Is Georgia about to become the first?

She's making her way down the net.

Get that foot out of there.

And she's made it.

She is now the first female to make it to the Ball & Chain

and she's just one obstacle away from the Warped Wall, Ben.

Come on, Georgia.

Here we go, onto the chain. Uses the knees to get up there.

She's got great upper body strength.

Hasn't she? Has a look at that first ball.

Oop!

It's OK, keep going.

Remember, the further you make it through the course,

the more punishing it becomes on the body.

She's gonna have to reset herself

and navigate herself back up that chain to reach the ball.

She's making it tough for herself.

She's been hanging there for long time, Freddie.

FREDDIE: She's climbing back up the chain.

Her hands will be hurting, her shoulders will be hurting.

Using the legs to get a little bit more height. Yes.

And she's gripping onto the first ball, much to the crowd's delight.

Come on, Georgia.

Will she make the transfer?

Yes.

Oh! Oh!

So close for Georgia.

A phenomenal effort.

Your arms carry all your weight on this obstacle,

so you need to get through it fast.

Georgia took four attempts getting onto that first ball.

It sapped her grip strength and she was gone.

Georgia, that was a fantastic effort.

Just struggling there, reaching for that ball.

That was awesome. (LAUGHS) Oh, yeah, I was just...

I lost stuff and then I couldn't grab the thing

and then it was just all bad from there.

It was so much fun!

It was fun, Georgia. Just breathe, breathe.

Get your breath back.

The good news is, you got a long way on the course,

so depending how the others go, you still may be in the competition.

Congratulations. Thank you. Thanks.

Ladies and gentlemen, let's have a big round of applause for Georgia!

Freddie, we can confirm that with just four ninjas left to run,

'Captain America' Cobi Head, sits on top of the leader board,

just ahead of the Barefoot Ninja, Daniel Mason.

Georgia Bonora's efforts have her sitting safely in 10th position,

guaranteeing her a spot in the semifinal.

But, Bec, the big question, can the Ravi brothers do the same?

This moment is a lifetime dream come true for both of these boys.

They love Ninja Warrior so much, they built a gym.

But now it's the real McCoy. Can they perform?

Growing up, I was always more of a natural athlete than Mark...

You're not a natural athlete.

I'm more of a natural athlete, man. He's not a natural athlete.

We've always been into fitness

and obviously a massive fan of Ninja Warrior.

It's, like, the best TV show in the world.

Just wanted somewhere to train

and realised there wasn't a home for this sort of thing,

so the Ninja Academy it is.

He's really been inspirational by how hard he's worked at it.

He's done such brave decisions, opening up this place.

And I'm really grateful that he's brought me on board.

It doesn't mean that I don't still wanna whup his arse.

Just like that, Dave, alright? Just like that.

Gee, mate.

We've always been very competitive.

He's stronger but I'm definitely faster, so we'll...

Yeah. I can't argue with that.

I'm pretty, like, slow and steady, you know.

I think it's way better to get as far as you can go

than to try and rush it and potentially risk falling.

Come on, slowpoke.

I would happily support Mark if he got to the top.

If both of us got to the top, that'd be great.

I mean, I've get there faster, but at least we'd both get there, right?

(SIGHS)

BEN: Oh, we love these guys. Mark's running first.

WOMAN: Show your brother how you do it! Come on!

David's on the sideline with Mum. You can probably hear her.

BEC: Ben, if anyone has to perform tonight, it's these two.

And believe it or not, look, it's starting to rain again.

Big pressure, Freddie. (BEEP)

MAN: Go, Mark. It'll be his chance to shine.

He's not just his brother but his boss as well at the Ninja Academy.

He'll want to go back there, tell the students,

tell everyone that he's bigger, he's faster than his brother.

And he's got the opportunity to do so right now.

Pull it back and run. WOMAN: Come on, Mark.

Just pull it back. Come on, Mark.

Everything, everything! Come on, come on!

Please, get up there...

No! Oh!

That was one of the most dramatic falls we've seen!

That came out of nowhere. He looked so strong.

Mark got a nice push off, but maybe the pressure got to him.

He needed to let go just a split second earlier

and he would've made it safely onto the mat.

That fraction of a second makes all the difference.

Mark, I think the face says it all. (HALF-LAUGHS)

Yeah, it's tough, but at the end of the day,

it was just a great experience to be here.

Well, if it's any consolation,

I saw your brother's face behind when you came off,

and he was just as gutted as you.

So, unlucky, mate. Hopefully we'll see you again.

Yeah, dude, hopefully next year I'll be back, stronger than ever.

Top man. Cheers, pal. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Good effort, Mark. Good effort.

You really thought he was gonna do it, didn't you?

I did. I'm disappointed.

Mark is now Bom Slider victim number 21,

which has gotta be playing on David's mind.

His run coming up after the break.

ONLOOKERS: Aw!

Alright, Mum. Alright.

BEN: And the Fitness Warrior, Sheena-Lauren Steinert.

I was an elite athlete in contention for the London Olympics.

That's where I developed my balls.

Will she deliver

and become the first female to make it up the Warped Wall?

Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior,

where, before the break, we witnessed younger Ravi brother Mark

become Bom Slider victim number 21.

Oh, he let that go too late. (BUZZ)

And David Ravi's in the warm-up gym,

getting ready for his run in just a few minutes.

But while he's warming up, we've got a run going on right now.

It's 32-year-old Ricko Tralongo,

who lost part of his leg in a car accident.

But incredibly,

so far he is matching the fastest time of the night.

Nice work. Hooked his leg in there, grabbed with two arms.

Come on, Rick!

His sister there screaming words of encouragement.

Come on, Rick!

Here he goes on the Ball & Chain, wasting no time.

Come on! Come on, Rick!

One hand on the chain, the other on the ball.

And now he goes ball to ball. And now ball to chain.

And now the dismount's perfect. He's gonna run straight up there!

He doesn't even stop! Straight through!

Oh, he's done it! Very good tactic!

Ricko Tralongo, ladies and gentlemen!

Ricko, way to go!

One minute 12, tying in first place with Cobi Head.

Oh, my god!

After swinging on the Ball & Chain, there was no time for a breather.

And Ricko bolted his way up the Warped Wall,

absolutely nailing the course and equalling the night's fastest time.

Have you got somewhere you need to go? That was fast.

I wanted to do it in a hurry.

Amazing run. One of the quickest times we've seen.

Congratulations and we'll see you in the semifinals. Amazing job.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

BEC: Finally, the wait is over for Ninja Academy owner David Ravi.

Having just witnessed his brother run

and fail so early on the course...

You got this, Dave.

..the pressure is on more than ever

to make it to the top of the Warped Wall.

Just breathe, man. Just breathe.

You got it, you got it.

And, Bec, many of our ninjas... (BEEP)

..that we have seen on this competition have travelled to Perth

to train with these brothers at their academy,

so the expectation to do well goes far beyond friends and family.

Easy.

The execution of the Quintuple Steps then was perfect.

He didn't waste any time or any energy.

WOMAN: Come on, Dave. Take your time.

But let's watch this, because this is where his brother crashed.

Talk about a mental challenge. This is huge.

Yes!

Breathing a sigh of relief.

That's it, man. That's it. Come on, David.

Scary. Jesus.

Now he steps up to the Bridge of Blades.

Light steps. You got it, you got it.

Unlike his brother Mark, he's taking his time.

Come on, Ravi. Come on, Dave.

You know it's not your thing with speed, man. You got it.

PEOPLE: (CHANT) Ravi! Ravi! Ravi! Ravi! Ravi!

Oooh. Oooh.

He is just making it. WOMAN: Well done, David.

And he knows it too. He knows it, you're right.

He's had a couple of close calls and he...

He said, "Boy, oh, boy. Could it get any closer than this?"

Go, Dave! Come on!

He's just visualising now what he needs to do

and he's executing it and he did that well.

He's a joy to watch, David Ravi. You got it, man.

Oh, yes! Only just.

He's just making it on every obstacle!

Oh, this is... Come on, mate.

This is so tense.

Yes!

Nice and controlled, nice and controlled.

Nice and controlled. Come on, David.

Down the cargo net. Take your time.

And two more obstacles.

Take your time!

You've got it, you've got it.

Take a breath, man. Take a breath.

His support crew are slapping their hands together,

clapping him over the line.

Deep breaths. You've got it, David. You've got it.

PEOPLE: Ravi! Ravi! Ravi! Ravi! Ravi!

He can see the Warped Wall and that's what stands in front of him.

First, though, he needs to get through the Ball & Chain.

Ravi! Ravi! Ravi! Ravi! Ravi! Ravi! Ravi! Ravi! Ravi! Ravi!

Onto the chain. Goes straight up to the first ball.

Got a left hand on it.

MARK OLIVE: Climb up...

He'll have another crack here, Bec.

Oooh. You've got it, Dave.

He's not taking his eye off the ball.

But he's gotta let go of that other chain.

You don't wanna be outstretched too long like that.

That's it! That was a quick transition.

Yeah, he needs to be. And so is this. He's done it.

Well done.

David Ravi is now facing the Warped Wall.

You've got it. Just go.

You've got it. Wipe your shoes, wipe your shoes.

You can do it, David! You can do it!

After training in his own ninja gym in Western Australia,

the 28-year-old sticks the tongue out, flexes the fingers...

PEOPLE: Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

You've got it. Deep breath.

Just straight up. It's easy. Easy. You got it, man. You got it.

And here we go, Bec. Alright.

I told you he looked good.

Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

Yes! (CHEERING)

Unbelievable!

Make no mistake, David Ravi,

one of the top competitors in Australian Ninja Warrior!

He just showed us why.

What a powerful performance.

Not the fastest time, 3:19,

but slow and steady won the race between the brothers.

That's not bad. It's not bad. It's not bad.

David only just made it onto the mat from the Bom Slider

and it nearly all came to an end on the Ball & Chain.

Being no novice to obstacle courses, he regained that composure

to make it straight up the Warped Wall and onto the leader board.

Peace, my dude. Peace, mate.

But we still have not yet had a female finish the course.

Just maybe that will be tonight's last competitor,

Olympic hopeful 400m runner, fitness trainer

and force to be reckoned with, Sheena-Lauren Steinert.

Sheena! Warrior queen!

SHEENA: I was an elite athlete in contention for the London Olympics.

That's where I developed my... Can I say balls?

That's where I developed my balls.

I loved my athletics, but the competition, (BLEEP) hated it.

You were going into an arena to fight to the death.

That's something that I don't miss.

Applying for the Ninja Warrior, the last week,

I've been feeling those feelings and I thought,

"What the (BLEEP) have I gotten myself into?"

Don't get me wrong, I don't wanna be that little kid, give me a sticker,

well done and we all participate.

I want to (BLEEP) win it.

But I'm here for more important reasons.

In order to grow, you need to get yourself outside your comfort zone.

If I can inspire one woman

through their own health and fitness journey,

then I'm making a small dent on this beautiful world.

And if I could win it, that would be the (BLEEP) cherry on top.

PEOPLE: Sheena! Sheena! Sheena! OK.

BEC: Alright. She is loving her moment in the sun here.

(SHEENA SCREAMS)

Oooh, she's screaming before she takes on the course.

She's got her mum, her dad, her auntie and some friends here.

(BEEP) Sheena-Lauren Steinert.

She's underway.

Any moment now.

The fitness warrior takes her first step on the Quintuple Steps.

Concentrate, Sheen. Concentrate. Focus, Sheenie.

Really pacing herself with the steps...

(SHEENA YELPS)

..securing those feet on every single one

before taking a jump to the other.

Slow but smart.

And she's completed the first obstacle.

(SCREAMS) Well done!

Now she's got her eyes set on that Warped Wall,

but first she's got to pass this.

MAN: Lift the bugger up, Sheena.

The Bom Slider.

It has been a giant-killer all night.

PEOPLE: Sheena! Sheena! Sheena! Sheena! Sheena!

Just look at that face, Bec.

That is determination right there. MAN: Concentrate.

Come on, Sheena-Lauren. Go, you good thing. Oh...

Oh! Oh, no!

Oh, that is nasty.

Oh, Sheen!

Gee, I hope she hasn't hurt herself there.

Almost flipped herself around completely. Slaps the water.

She ended up landing right on her head.

And she had high hopes of success tonight.

Poor girl. She did well, though. Oh...

She won't be happy about that.

FREDDIE: Sheena, the Fitness Warrior.

What went on? (SCREAMS)

(BLEEP) Sorry.

(LAUGHTER)

I don't (BLEEP) know.

(GROWLS) I'm so angry!

I'm good at the Warped Wall. I just wanted to get to the end, but...

I don't know.

Have you finished? Yeah.

Alright. Thanks very much, Sheena.

You're right. There we go, ladies and gentlemen.

(SCREAMS) (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

BEN: The Bom Slider has taken out its 22nd and last victim.

Good try, Sheena. Good try.

Wow. What an absolutely awesome night. It's been a tough one.

The Bom Slider bringing many of our ninjas unstuck there, Bec.

It was a rough night for our competitors,

but they stood up to the challenge.

Here are our 18 semifinalists.

Captain America Cobi Head and Ricko Tralongo

are both 40 seconds clear at the top of the leader board,

Barefoot Ninja Daniel Mason qualifying third.

Over the page, we see stuntman Luke Ha and David Ravi.

Georgia Bonora was the only female to make it to the Ball & Chain.

Chippy Sam Goodall is through too.

And the night's shortest competitor, Betsy Burnett,

scraped into the semis too.

We couldn't split them for Performance of the Night -

Cobi Head and Ricko Tralongo sharing the honours.

They are a whole other breed, our ninjas.

They are tough, they are awe-inspiring

and we've got some phenomenal characters as well.

Now, next week, more heats and then it's the semifinal.

Next week, it's another brand-new course...

That is amazing. All of that core strength.

..and 50 new competitors ready to take it on

in the battle for semifinal positions.

(ROARS)

It's rugby league versus AFL.

I'm Beau Ryan... I'm Adam Cooney...

..rugby league legend. ..2008 Brownlow Medallist.

Bondi trainer Sarah Bartlett

is throwing down the gauntlet to the men.

I just want to absolutely smash it.

And we meet a quartet of Australia's rock-climbing royalty.

I'm the best female rock climber Australia.

But will Andrea Hah have what it takes to beat the boys...

and the Warped Wall?

Yes!

You won't want to miss it.

See you soon on Australian Ninja Warrior.

Goodnight.