Original subtitles

BEN FORDHAM: Australian Ninja Warrior has arrived.

The global phenomenon where some of the world's best athletes

take on the world's toughest obstacle course.

I'm gonna smash it. It's gonna be a breeze.

I'm here to win it. And Mount Midoriyama...

I'm coming for you.

So far, over three massive qualifying heats,

only the very best have managed to win through to the semifinal.

It's the best feeling in the world.

Aarggh!

Tonight, in heat four, a brand-new course.

The Slide to Box Jellyfish,

the Cargo with Rings,

and the Pipe Climber.

50 new competitors will take it on

but only the top 18 will qualify for the semis.

We'll see rugby league versus AFL...

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

..rugby league legend.

..2008 Brownlow Medallist.

..the quartet of Australian rockclimbing royalty...

I'm the best female rockclimber in Australia.

..and a woman who's transformed her life

with the help of an unusual friend...

I'm coiled and ready to strike.

..as the search continues

for Australia's first

Ninja Warrior.

(CHEERING)

Hello. I'm Rebecca Maddern.

I'm Freddie Flintoff.

And I'm Ben Fordham. Welcome to Australian Ninja Warrior.

This is where Aussies from all walks of life come together as one

to take on this challenge

which is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

And tonight we have a whole fresh batch of ninjas

ready to step up to the game.

Well, our ninjas are excited but so too are the fans.

There is a real sense of anticipation in the crowd tonight.

There are six obstacles

that stand in the way of our ninjas and the semifinals

and then that will push them through

to be one step closer to the legendary Mount Midoriyama.

Our ninjas have already proven themself

by just getting on the show.

All they need to do now is perform under pressure.

Easier said than done, Freddie.

But with that in mind,

let's have a look at the obstacles our ninjas will face tonight.

Tonight our competitors face off with six obstacles -

three of them making their debut in this heat.

First up are the Quintuple Steps.

Competitors move across five platforms, each 1.5m apart.

Next up is the first of our new obstacles -

the Slide to Box Jellyfish.

The right grip is key on the awkward-shaped propeller,

transfer midair grabbing a bunch of bungee ropes

which you must use to reach the safety mat.

Then it's on to the Bridge of Blades.

Speed and light feet are essential

to conquering the four spinning blades.

Next, the second new obstacle - the Rings to Cargo Net.

Competitors must leap to the first ring,

transfer to a higher second ring,

creating enough momentum to reach the cargo net.

And then the Pipe Climber, the third new obstacle.

Competitors must traverse four pipes -

two angled and two suspended -

before dismounting to safety.

And finally, the most daunting obstacle of them all,

the Warped Wall,

where competitors will attempt to run up the 4.2m incline

to finish the course. (BUZZER SOUNDS)

(CHEERING)

Entering the arena is our first ninja, Sarah Bartlett.

So far this season we haven't seen a female finish the course.

But this sassy personal trainer from Bondi

spends her days showing up the boys.

Can Sarah Bartlett be our first female

to finally make it up the Warped Wall?

She certainly believes so.

SARAH: This is gonna be a throwdown.

I think the other ninja warriors should be very wary of me

because I'm bringing serious attitude and sass.

I'm part of the Bondi Beach Bar Brutes,

so they think that it's a bit of a boys' club.

But obviously I'm evidence that it's not a boys' club.

I see the boys doing stuff and I want to be able to do it.

I don't even think of Sarah as a girl.

I think of her as a human muscle machine with a brain like a robot.

I just want to get out there and kick arse.

Just want to absolutely smash it.

Can I say "kick arse"? MAN: Yes.

We love you, Sarah!

REBECCA: That confidence,

no doubt passed on from dad, Charles, a world champion rower.

She's also supported by mum, Sally, and sisters Kate and Lisa.

(DING!)

BEN: As always, we begin on the Quintuple Steps.

Sarah - 5'5" and 55kg - compact and cautious.

And fair enough. Some can come unstuck on this first obstacle.

You don't want to be that person.

(ALL SHOUT ENCOURAGEMENT)

Now, Sarah approaches one of the new obstacles on the course,

the Slide to Box Jellyfish.

She's got the overhand grip. That's the grip you want.

Oh! She's done pretty well. She's nice and high.

She's got all of the bungees. That'll minimise the bounce.

So far so good.

Sarah's got her swing going,

just waiting for the right moment to get onto that mat.

BEN AND REBECCA: Whoa!

MAN: Go, swing, push...

Here is trouble.

Look at that - her grip has slipped right down the bungee.

It's gonna be stretching more now, making life a lot harder.

WOMAN: Up the rope! Go up the rope!

MAN: Big push!

Yeah, she's got less of those bungees now in her hands,

so she's stretching more.

Push off, Sarah, push off!

Push off!

Oh! She's gone!

The Slide to Box Jellyfish claiming its first victim tonight.

Here's where she went wrong.

Transferring from the Slide to Box Jellyfish,

she needed both hands to let go of the propeller simultaneously.

But her left hand holds on too long,

spinning the blade, which twists her body.

And as Sarah fatigues, her grip strength weakens

and she slips further down the bungee.

The further she goes, the harder it is to hold on to.

From there it's a slippery slope.

Well, that's disappointing.

(CHEERING)

Sarah Bartlett fell short,

but we are just getting started here on Ninja Island.

(CHEERING)

Now, can you hear the rumble of the crowd?

Can you feel Ninja Island about to erupt?

We are very excited about our next competitor.

The first ninja in our Battle of the Codes

is entering the course.

Representing the NRL, he is a rugby league legend

and star of The Footy Show.

He is Beau Ryan.

BEAU: I'm representing The Footy Show.

I'm the only guy on the panel under 60,

so I'm the only one here willing to have a crack.

They expect me to win it, so, no pressure.

I'm ready to step up, fingers crossed.

I played eight years of NRL

for both the Wests Tigers and Cronulla Sharks

and prided myself on my training.

I still train every day

but I don't think any training can prepare for this.

If I fall in the water,

I'm just gonna try and stay underwater for as long as I can

until everyone goes home.

BEN: He looks absolutely terrified.

REBECCA: He should be, Ben.

He is taking on AFL star Adam Cooney,

who'll be running a little bit later in the show.

Bragging rights will go to the footy star with the best run.

(DING!)

Beau attacks the Quintuple Steps.

As a winger, always good on his feet

but he's got to make sure of every step here.

And no showboating at all from Beau Ryan.

Approaching the new obstacle now, the Slide to Box Jellyfish.

We just saw this dump Sarah Bartlett into the pool.

How's he gonna go here?

Come on. Yes! There you go.

Well done, Beau. Nice transfer.

And look at his hands.

He's done very well to grab the bungee ropes nice and high.

That's the sweet spot right there.

Got a nasty spin happening just at the wrong time.

As he gets closer to the mat... That might be it! It is!

You good thing! Well done.

Come on, Beau!

There'll be rugby league fans at the moment,

on their feet, cheering this man on.

He played for the Wests Tigers, played for the Cronulla Sharks.

Approaching the Bridge of Blades now.

The trick here, Ben, is speed.

Here we go - the Bridge of Blades.

Beau Ryan... carves it up. Yes, Beau!

Well done!

He always puts his body on the line for the sake of entertainment,

but this is not for fun.

Yes, there's a fun element to it,

but this is one of the biggest challenges

he's undertaken in his TV career.

He injured his neck in 2014,

which probably brought the rugby league career

to an early finish for him.

But he's still in peak physical condition.

And he's gonna need all his conditioning

to get through the next obstacle, Ben -

the second new obstacle tonight.

Beau Ryan, meet the Rings to Cargo Net.

Here he goes. Good jump to the first ring.

Come on, Beau, get onto that second ring.

The second ring has a much shorter chain, meaning less swing.

And already he's in a dead hang.

What's he got to do here to get out of it, Freddie?

FREDDIE: Needs to get them hips moving.

Needs to get them feet moving.

Yes! Beau Ryan, he's on the cargo net!

This is unprecedented!

This is unbelievable!

Beau Ryan has gone further than he had anticipated.

He thought that he was probably gonna bomb out on

the second obstacle.

And he's just ticked off the fourth.

But the fifth obstacle, Ben,

is another one making its debut on the course tonight

and this will test Beau's upper body strength like no other.

It's the dreaded Pipe Climber. Look at it.

The first pipe is angled at a gut-busting 60 degrees.

He's looking at this thing and,

'Hang on a minute. How do I even climb up this thing?'

He's got no idea.

Alright, no.

Come on, Beau! Come on, Beau.

He's just gotta go for it.

The trick here,

he's gotta get the pull with his hands

and push with his feet.

Keep the pressure on the pole.

Now it gets really tough.

Look at this, as Beau transitions to the second pipe,

he cannot touch it with his feet.

Now all of that 90kg frame is hanging from the arms.

(GROANS)

Going up or going down! (GROANS)

And Beau Ryan crashes out, sadly. Superb effort.

He did so well. Superb effort!

Beau Ryan.

Yeah, he reminded us all of his speed on the Bridge of Blades

and the agility on the Rings to Cargo Net.

But Beau met his match on the Pipe Climber.

On the transition from second to third pipe,

all of Beau's weight is on his arms

and there's no way they're going to hold his 90kg frame.

Beau, come here. Give me some loving.

Beau, that was unbelievable.

This thing here, I think whoever wins that, whoever gets over that,

should get 100 grand just for getting over that, mate.

My forearms are... Are you donating this?

It's very generous of you.

Ladies and gentlemen, Beau Ryan donating 100 grand!

REBECCA: Beau's show-stopping throwdown

has set a massive challenge for AFL star Adam Cooney,

who will be running later in the night.

ADAM: Oh, there's plenty of room on the mantle.

How big is the Ninja trophy?

BEN: Also attempting the course tonight,

four of the most anticipated competitors this series.

They defy death every day...

We're the greatest climbers in history.

..scaling the world's most daunting rock faces

with their bare hands.

But can four of Australia's best rockclimbers

conquer the biggest mountain of them all?

Plus, aviation firefighter Alex Matthews

has already overcome the odds.

ALEX: I broke my neck, I broke my wrist, I broke my foot.

But can he overcome this course?

And later, one of the fastest men in Australia,

26-year-old sprinter, Enzi Dube,

can talk it up.

This is actually quite easy.

But can this super athlete back it up

when Ninja Warrior returns?

BEN: Welcome back to Ninja Warrior,

home to the toughest obstacle course in the world.

And this course just got tougher,

with the debut of three brand-new obstacles for our ninjas to attempt.

REBECCA: They are the Slide to Box Jellyfish...

the gut-wrenching Rings to Cargo Net...

and the punishing Pipe Climber.

Up next, fitness model,

32-year-old Jenna Douros,

a boxing cover girl from Canberra

who's equally at home on a photo shoot

as she is in the boxing ring.

MAN: Go, Jenna! Whoo!

Fitness is fun and that's what it's all about.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Big smile.

Yes!

I'm founder and creator of Lift into Life,

which is an online community for women

to think outside the box when it comes to their training.

Filming and that sort of stuff is a good opportunity for me

to help inspire my community of women.

Just get moving on a regular basis.

(FUNKY MUSIC)

It doesn't take much to make me smile

and it takes a lot to get the serious face on my face.

So, shoosh.

I lead an extremely busy life but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Ninja Warrior, you're finally here.

I've been waiting all my life

and I cannot wait to get my hands all over you!

Oh, yes, Jen! Let's do this!

REBECCA: Now, supporting her on the sideline

is Jenna's husband, Michael.

He's a powerlifter and he's a very vocal supporter of Jenna's.

Jen, come on, let's go! Let's go!

Push, push, push! Good, good. Come on.

BEN: Very clinical over those Quintuple Steps.

And now approaching the new obstacle,

the Slide to Box Jellyfish.

Come on, Jen. Easy, easy. Take your time. Come on.

She looks up at that propeller blade.

Big breath. Come on.

Needs to get as much of her hands over the blade.

That is the grip you want. Let's go. Come on!

Swings through the air. Needs to hang on to the jelly, though.

Oh, yes!

She had no right to hang onto that.

Great strength there.

But she's got it low

and she's hanging by a few strands of those bungees.

She's got the right idea.

She spins around, takes another look.

She's made it. She's made it.

How's that for guts and determination?

Yes, baby! Nice, Jen. Let's go!

The crowd comes alive.

You've got this, Jenna! Come on!

Come on, Jen, let's do it!

Oh, she's thinking,

'The Bridge of Blades - is this gonna get the better of me or not?

Come on, Jen. Jen, go, go, go, go, go!

Wow! That was quick.

Speed got her out of trouble that time

because those blades were moving.

Nice, Jenna, come on. Let's go.

Now... the second new obstacle - the Rings to Cargo Net.

Come on, Jen. Let's go. Shake out those arms. Shake 'em out.

That's Michael saying, "Shake out those arms."

They would be in a lot of pain from bouncing around on the bungee ropes.

Come on, baby! Has she got anything left?

Yes! Big jump to the first ring.

The first ring will rip your grip strength in no time.

But building momentum here, when you're only 5'4" isn't easy.

Let's go, come on! You're so close now!

So close! Come on! Pull yourself up!

Use your legs. Come on.

Oh! Oh, the boxer counterpunches.

Let's go, Jen.

How is she looking, Freddie?

FREDDIE: Amazing.

I was about to write her off at my peril.

Come on, Jenna.

Oh! What a shame.

Unlucky, darling. Whoo-hoo!

Jenna showed great fight to make it

two obstacles shy of the Warped Wall.

But after burning all her grip strength

on the Slide to Box Jellyfish,

Jenna had nothing left.

Mwah. You nailed it. You did so well.

Jenna's grip strength let her down,

but that shouldn't be a problem for our next competitor.

Entering the course is Ben Cossey.

He is one of four of the rockclimbing royalty

assembled on Ninja Island tonight.

And that includes his brother, Lee. Come on.

And they are as different as they are death-defying.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

BEN: We're the Cossey brothers.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

We're the greatest climbers in history.

LEE: Some people say we're two of the best climbers in Australia.

Being able to share a sport like climbing

with someone as close as your brother is awesome.

But we're very different.

I'm the youngest, a little bit more cuter,

a little bit more helpful around the house.

Yeah, he's been doing more routes probably better than me.

But I'm probably a little bit better looking.

I'd say Ben will probably take the show in terms of showmanship.

We'll have to wait and see who's most skilful.

See what I have to deal with. God.

Ben and I have been climbing together

since really we first started in our early teens.

(LAUGHTER)

We're always trying to push ourself,

like, to physical limits and mental limits as well.

I'm gonna win Ninja Warrior.

(LAUGHS) No! (GUFFAWS)

I'm gonna win Ninja Warrior and break his sternum.

Sorry. Bugger. (BOTH LAUGH)

Free shot, free shot, free shot.

(BOTH LAUGH)

REBECCA: Tonight, Ben faces off against

three of the best rockclimbers in the country -

brother Lee and Andrea Hah, watching from the sidelines,

and fellow athlete Tom O'Halloran watching in the crowd.

(DING!)

BEN: Ben takes it calmly across the Quintuple Steps.

Yeah, nice, Benj. Come on.

The second obstacle has been a tricky customer tonight.

And now, get ready.

He's on.

He's got the sweet spot and lots of bungee.

You get the feeling he's gonna land this.

(CHEERING)

Yeah, easy.

Bridge of Blades next.

Come on, Ben. ANDREA: Come on, Ben.

Wow! He did well there.

Showed power and speed -

not something climbers are known for.

Full of confidence, this bloke.

Look at him jumping round. Tongue's out.

The Rings to Cargo Net next.

All the way, come on. Come on, Ben.

Yeah, nice.

And he's already on the second ring.

Come on, Ben. Come on.

Look at Ben's leg drive as he builds momentum.

And look at that finger strength, catching himself onto the cargo net.

So far he's looking very comfortable on this course.

The crowd loving it.

Onto the Pipe Climber.

This is really Ben's comfort zone.

He climbs every day.

And if anyone's going to nail this obstacle, it's this bloke.

Just look at the smile.

Now, this is the hard part.

He can't use his legs on the second and third pipe.

He's leaving his legs there on the first pipe for as long as possible.

Come on, Ben.

Come on! Come on, Ben!

Now, it's only a small distance to the third pipe.

This is what rockclimbers do.

This is why they're such a threat.

Whoa. Oh, look at that.

Oh, hang on a minute.

Have you seen anything like this, Freddie?

FREDDIE: Oh, look at that showboating for the crowd.

Look at the strength in them wrists.

This lad's out there.

All he has to do now is shimmy down.

Here he goes again!

How cool is he?

There'd only be a handful of Aussies

that could take on the Pipe Climber

as calmly and coolly as Ben Cossey has done tonight.

Nice job, Benj. Come on.

How about the strength? Everybody wants to get off this thing.

But is he up there having lunch at the same time?

I don't know. He looks pretty spent to me.

And if rockclimbers have one weakness, it's leg strength.

And that's what he's going to need to get up this wall.

(CHEERING AND CHANTING)

Taking a deep breath. Come on, Ben, get up the wall.

Come on, Ben. (CROWD CHANTS)

He's up the wall!

Oh, yeah!

Loops the leg over.

Ben Cossey, celebrate all you like.

(BUZZ!) Now you're a Ninja Warrior.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

He enjoyed that so much.

Ben showed us why rockclimbers have the arsenal for ninja domination.

Even the Warped Wall -

potentially a problem for rockclimbers tonight -

just another prop in his magical performance.

Good job. That was great.

Well done. Such a clown. (LAUGHS)

Ben's time of 3:03 has set a blistering pace

for the other rockclimbers running later tonight.

Coming up... (WOMAN SCREAMS)

..Jolene Kelly's mates are excited

because this snake charmer is ready to rattle the course.

And later, keen cricketer Paul Cashion

is hoping to catch this course out.

I want to be the first deaf Australian Ninja Warrior.

And ready to step up for our Battle of the Codes

is AFL legend Adam Cooney.

Can he get one over Beau Ryan and the NRL?

Hopefully I'll breeze my way through.

REBECCA: 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 Ninja Warrior.

While you were away,

three more ninjas attempted the course,

but have been thrown off their game by the new kid on the block -

the Slide to Box Jellyfish.

Like 43-year-old mum Wendy Levy.

She was left high, dry...

That is not a place you want to be.

..and then wet after completely misjudging

the transition from slide to jellyfish.

FREDDIE: Oh, no!

34-year-old Sal Hassan from Adelaide

has competed in the Mr Universe competition.

Look at the muscles, Ben.

But even he was outmuscled by the slippery bungee ropes.

Oh! Bombed out in the pool!

Big or small, obstacle two has been ruthless,

as 31-year-old sales consultant Tina Smith found out

when she was dunked.

Oh, that's a big crash!

But hoping to stay dry tonight

is 26-year-old sprinter from Newcastle,

Enzi Dube.

He can run the 100m in 10.5 seconds.

But can he outrun our new obstacles tonight?

ENZI: My ultimate goal,

I'd like to make it to Olympics, obviously, in 2020.

And I wanted to pit myself against people from different disciplines

and show just how well-conditioned I am.

I genuinely think I'm one of the better all-rounders for this.

I've heard about how hard it is

and it's the one thing I've come to prove to everybody

that this is actually quite easy.

Honestly, for the Warped Wall, I think I might just walk up it.

(LAUGHS) I'm not sure.

My name's Enzi Dube.

I can run 100m in 10.5 seconds.

And unlike everybody else here,

I'm gonna fly through that ninja course.

(CHEERING)

Wow! This bloke is an impressive athlete.

Just have a look at him.

Yeah, I think he's gonna put on a clinic. Let's have a watch.

(DING!)

(CHEERING)

Wowee! Oh! Oh!

What the hell happened there? (BUZZ!)

No, can't happen!

No!

Oh, that's unfair, Ben Fordham.

It's unfair to all of the female viewers around Australia

and possibly many of the male viewers as well.

Enzi, he's used to running flat out in a straight line.

But when it came to running sideways,

he was all twisted up.

Went out a bit quick as well.

Yeah, a bit too confident.

I thought speed is everything, really. (LAUGHS)

I'm kinda going for the clock.

It's what I do in competition usually - time, time, time, time.

So, yeah, I just really messed that up there.

Yeah. Wasn't to be tonight.

Maybe the story of the tortoise and the hare

is one you should have a look at.

But never mind. It was a great effort.

Hopefully we'll see you again.

Ladies and gentlemen, give it up. (CHEERING)

Up next is 28-year-old sales manager Jolene Kelly from Melbourne.

Jolene recently lost 20kg

and has been training with a unique partner

to test her new physique on the toughest course in the world.

JOLENE: There are people that would look at me and think,

'Oh, she's been like that all her life.'

It's not the case. Three years ago, I was 20kg heavier.

I was not happy. I knew that had to change.

When I look in the mirror now, I see the results of a lot of hard work.

And now I'm trying to prove to overweight me

that I can do this.

And I have my pet support.

Stanley. Stanley.

Stanley.

Stanley.

Her snake.

Stanley loves being with me and I am at the gym a lot.

He's my scaly, slimy baby.

My name is Jolene Kelly. I'm from Victoria.

And I'm bringing something different to Australian Ninja Warrior.

(CHEERING)

BEN: Now, many experts have Jolene as one to watch.

Come on, Jolene!

This kickboxer with a background in ballet.

(DING!)

So she'll be good on her feet. She looks a bit nervous, though.

REBECCA: She does. She looks a little bit tentative.

And after the spills we've seen tonight,

I suppose everyone is being extra cautious on the Quintuple Steps.

(CHEERING)

But you can take every bit of encouragement

from the crowd right now, Jolene.

They want you to get there.

Hands on the bar.

Heading towards the jellyfish.

Oh!

You're right. Good job, Jole. Well done, Jo.

What a disappointing end for Jolene.

You could almost tell from her face -

very nervous from the get-go.

She takes tentative steps across the first obstacles.

Unsettled by the Slide to Box Jellyfish

and she holds on for too long.

That means by the time she's grabbed the bungees,

this snake charmer is already down and out.

I saw it.

And I think I reached for it a bit late.

I saw it and I was like, "Oh, it's right there."

And I just reached for it too late.

(CHEERING)

Coming up after the break - the man can dance.

Whoo!

But can the afro ninja, Travis Edwards,

pull the right moves on the ninja course?

Plus, Alex Matthews broke his neck in a car accident.

Not able to do anything physically for six months.

Tonight, this firefighter, and his glorious mo,

take on the toughest obstacle course in the world.

I fight fires for a living,

so I'm used to the heat, I'm used to the stress.

Ninja Warrior is gonna be a breeze.

But after the break, this ninja loves her onesie.

Laura Edwards wants to be our first female finisher.

And I'm here to look bad ass doing it.

REBECCA: Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior.

The ninja course is notoriously difficult,

but the new obstacles tonight

have been sending ninjas into the pool en masse.

BEN: We keep getting close

but the wait continues for a woman to make it up the Warped Wall.

And on the course right now,

and having just completed the Slide to Box Jellyfish

is the onesie ninja, Laura Edwards.

Look at her. She's making such a huge statement tonight with her run.

Look at that costume. She's brought a huge crowd with her.

Freddie, you're down there. What's she like?

FREDDIE: Team Onesie in the audience.

They've got the signs! They're chanting, they're screaming.

They want their girl to get through to the semifinals.

But standing in between Laura and the semis -

three more obstacles.

She's a 27-year-old exercise physiologist from Sydney.

She reckons her biceps are her best asset.

She's gonna need them on the Rings to Cargo Net.

Onto the first ring.

She needs to get herself onto the second

and then get enough swing through.

(CHEERING)

This is the tricky bit.

This nasty ring here spins you around.

And that's where you don't want to be -

with your back to the cargo net.

You can see the whites of her eyes.

She's desperately trying to square up to the net now.

Oh, she's at a standstill.

Laura, you cannot panic here.

Ben, this is not looking good. She's slowing down.

The longer you hang there, the more those arms are gonna hurt.

They start to burn after a while.

Here we go.

Here's your way out of trouble, Laura Edwards.

The crowd wants you to do it.

I think she's gonna go. You know you can do it, girlfriend!

Oh!

Why?

Oh, Team Onesie, we wanted you to get all the way!

Pretty spectacular effort.

This pint-sized powerhouse dominated early

with aggression and skill.

But on the Rings to Cargo Net you can see Laura's timing is off

on her release from the second ring.

She has plenty of swing but holding on that second too long was costly.

This onesie is donesie.

Should have made it!

Entering the arena now,

24-year-old gymnastics coach Travis Edwards from Sydney.

Can he keep his impressive afro

away from the pool?

Go, the 'fro!

Been coaching disability gymnastics now for eight years.

The happiness that you can get from them,

once you get a taste for it,

you want to go back and do more of it

and help out as many people as you can.

My name's Travis Edwards from Penrith, New South Wales.

I'm here to be Australia's first afro ninja.

Alright! (CHUCKLES)

(CHEERING)

All of Travis' students are watching at home tonight

and he doesn't want to disappoint them.

And his support crew seem to have afros as well,

including his dad Errol, his boss Sam and his mates Colin and Trent.

(DING!)

(CHEERING)

Oh, the gymnast is just gliding across those steps.

Pretty quick.

He approaches the Slide to Box Jellyfish now.

Doesn't matter how strong you are,

the wrong technique will drop you in the pool.

Using his whole body now - look at it - to create momentum.

Attacking this like a beast.

Yes! Oh!

Yay!

Yes!

Don't let the Bridge of Blades get the better of you, Travis.

Oh! What was that?

I hope your students are watching this, Travis.

Up and away and look at the swing straightaway.

And straight onto that second ring.

He has not missed a beat so far, Bec.

Ooh, yeah. But look at this.

He's getting a little bit twisted

and this would be a problem for anyone attacking this obstacle.

MAN: You're right, Trav. You're right, Trav. Swing it, buddy.

Look how calm he is, though.

He knows he's in all sorts.

But he slowly swinging down to get himself straight,

eyeballing where he needs to be.

And here goes again! Can he make the transfer?

Yes! (APPLAUSE, CHEERING)

I'll tell you what, he was going from almost a stationary position.

And in one swing,

he got enough energy to catapult himself onto that net.

Here we go. It's time for the Pipe Climber.

This obstacle is harder than the last one.

How does he get through it, Freddie?

FREDDIE: Needs to somehow get that arm over,

get the other one off and then quickly.

Can't touch the chains.

Oh, he's let his legs go very early there.

Now, it's all on Travis' arms.

But he's up nice and high.

Come on! You've got this, Trav.

Look at Travis here... as he transfers to the next pipe.

That is amazing. I mean, he is almost hanging in midair.

All of that core strength, wrapping his arms around the Pipe Climber.

Now, the fourth pipe.

He looks absolutely spent.

I don't know if he's got anything left.

Can he get those legs up?

Yes... he... can!

Go, Trav! Go, Trav!

Oh, he will be desperate to get off this but he cannot rush.

He could be a bit stuck there.

Ooh... He doesn't want to go too early.

Making sure of it, looking down.

He's... OK!

Ooh, his heels were just over the mat.

Travis, you're giving us a scare.

You can see him stretching out his wrists and forearms.

They've just been shredded by the last obstacle.

MEN: (CHANT) Beat the wall!

CROWD: (CHANT) Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

And now Travis is going to need them for this next one -

the 4.2m Warped Wall.

Go, Trav!

He's looking at it, sizing it up.

Go, Trav!

And now it's his time to shine.

Come on, Trav!

First attempt

and he's just short!

One down.

He is spent and this wall does not get easier.

Can he do this?

Come on, Trav.

CROWD: Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

The crowd lifts behind him.

He gets ready to drive that body all the way up that wall.

Look at him eyeballing it. Loosening up the knees.

Now is the time to do it, Travis Edwards.

Come on, Trav, you can do it.

Up, up, up and... One, two, three.

One arm's there. Oh! Pull, pull!

One arm's there! The rest are there.

Well done, Travis. You little beauty!

(CHEERING)

He grabbed on with one hand.

Amazing strength.

And then just moved the other arm over the top and got home.

(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

Oh, deep breaths.

What a show from the 'fro tonight.

Showing incredible endurance to get up that Warped Wall.

But that last effort, hanging by one hand,

to haul himself up by fingertips

was truly unforgettable.

I'll speak to you first. Is that your natural colour?

Yes, it is. (LAUGHS)

Well, you carrying it off well.

I know you're doing it for a special reason -

for the kids you teach.

Yeah, that's it.

You've got to give them something to look up to and all of that.

So, I know they're gonna be cheering me on back at home when it's on TV.

Hopefully it's on TV. So, yeah. (CHUCKLES)

Mate, they've definitely got someone to look up to.

Amazing run. Great effort. We'll see you in the semifinals.

Congratulations. Ladies and gentlemen, Travis!

(CHEERING)

Travis and his 'fro are looking good for the semis, Freddie.

His amazing run sees him

sneak into second place.

After them, Beau Ryan has gone

furthest, fastest tonight,

putting him in contention

for the semifinals.

And coming on Australian Ninja Warrior,

41-year-old social worker Willow Firth.

Can this indigenous mentor inspire her community tonight?

It's not just for me. It's for all these women.

GIRL: Where are you going?

To be a ninja. Be like water.

Preparing with his family, one of Australia's best rockclimbers,

Tom O'Halloran, takes on Ninja Island.

BEN: Welcome back to Ninja Island.

In the warm-up area,

the next of our elite rockclimbers, Tom O'Halloran,

is getting his phenomenal grip primed and ready for the course.

And later, can AFL golden boy Adam Cooney

return serve with his run in the Battle of the Codes?

If I could become Australia's first Ninja Warrior, it would be amazing.

But up next, Willow Firth,

a 41-year-old indigenous social worker,

who tonight runs with a whole community behind her.

WOMAN: Come on!

WILLOW: I work at Waminda,

which is a South Coast Aboriginal women's

health and welfare centre.

There's always challenges -

the domestic violence, the drug and alcohol abuse.

But we really try not to dwell on that.

Nearly there. Come on, Sharni, you can do it. Let's go.

Positivity attracts positivity.

I encourage the women to be the best they possibly can.

Make 'em reach.

Without her, who knows where we'd be.

She's changed people's lives and I mean that she has.

Excellent. Next, witch's hat.

Time to get serious and start training hard

in case I get into Ninja Warrior.

So look out.

I heard Ninja Warrior was coming to Australia

and then, um, really struggled with doing the videoing

because I'm very shy and introverted.

And, so I decided to withdraw my application.

This is so far out of her comfort zone, it's not funny.

And I said, "Willow, you're a hypocrite.

"You know, you motivate everyone in this program,

"you push everyone to their limits, to reach their potential,

"and you're not willing to do the same thing."

"Come on, Willow, you know what I mean.

"You push all of us. It's time for you to step up."

Yeah, they were right.

I needed to finish it.

And just to show them that anything is possible.

They'll see Willow do it and, you know,

it'll give them a belief that they can do it too.

If I can get there, then I've done what I needed to do.

And you know what - she can do it.

Willow can do it.

(ALL CHEER)

BEN: Yeah, she plays a massive role in the indigenous community,

with a particular focus on training Aboriginal women

in both fitness and wellbeing.

(ALL CHANT) (DING!)

REBECCA: Willow's tight-knit support group got her to Ninja Island, Ben.

Can they get her up the Warped Wall?

At the moment, her focus is this first obstacle.

She's got nice style here.

Nice leap, getting plenty of air through the Quintuple Steps.

You've got it, Willow. You've got it!

OK, approaching the Slide to Box Jellyfish

and a big roar from the crowd.

(CHEERING)

Now, she's got to get her whole hand over that blade.

Let's see how she goes here.

Down she goes.

Lets go and grabs a hold of the tentacles.

She's only got about half of them and she's grabbed them pretty low.

She has grabbed them low.

And look at her - she's got no drive off that propeller.

And with that low grip on the bungee, all the momentum is gone.

It's pushing downwards.

Go, Willow! You've got it.

This obstacle's been playing nasty all night.

How does she stay out of the pool, Freddie?

FREDDIE: Not bouncing. No bouncing.

Keep it nice and smooth. Nice and smooth.

Come on, Willow!

Come on! She's alright.

Ooh. Oh!

No. She took one arm off.

That was the fatal mistake there. She took one arm off.

She thought she was home and hosed. But, no. It is brutal.

Yeah, but look at that support crew. They don't care.

They're just happy Willow stood up to be counted tonight

and took her shot at Ninja Island.

It all starts with Willow's poor grip.

It means that she's got zero momentum

moving from the propeller onto the box jellyfish.

Her low grips means a big bounce.

When she lets one hand go, it's hands down, splashdown.

Oh, well done. Well done.

(CHEERING)

OK, a member of our rockclimbing royalty is entering the arena.

He's 24-year-old Tom O'Halloran

and he's hoping to beat the time of 3:03

set by Ben Cossey.

TOM: Not sure what it is about climbing that makes me happy.

But just hanging out here with your family,

it's just a great way to pass your life.

Be careful, Daddy.

We're gonna put this on.

I will put it on.

OK. Stand up.

While taking a picture of me.

Hi.

Amanda and I met through climbing.

And now we've got Audrey

and she's got a little harness and her own little chalk bag

and she seems to like it at the moment.

Be great to be able to share that passion.

Go, go, go!

Tom and I have been together for five years.

Out of everyone I know, he was born to do it.

He acts like a monkey,

looks a little bit like a monkey

and climbs like a monkey.

(MONKEY SCREECHES)

Aarggh!

(MONKEY SCREECHES)

He just looks so natural when he's climbing.

It makes sense.

(MONKEY SCREECHES)

Anything - lucky charms or anything like that,

Audrey and Amanda, being there are gonna be that for me.

So, um, yeah, lucky objects - no.

Lucky family - yes.

REBECCA: And there's his lucky family watching on -

daughter Audrey and wife Amanda.

(DING!) Come on. Come on, Daddy.

AUDREY: Come on. Come on. Come on, Daddy.

BEN: He is absolutely bolting through the Quintuple Steps.

That's the fastest I've ever seen.

Lightning fast. He wants to beat Ben's time of 3:03.

Come on, get it.

Nice and high. He's on. Hang on!

The legs straight up in the air!

Come on - swing, swing!

He's completely messed up that transfer.

Anyone else would have been in the pool.

But he's got that rockclimber's grip strength.

Come on - swing! Come on.

Oooh, the timing's so vital.

There it is! That was perfect.

That's a sweet landing. Tom O'Halloran, well done.

The crowd respecting what they're seeing.

And he's not just a rockclimber for fun.

He's represented Australia in rockclimbing,

both as a youth and national level, so he knows what he's doing.

Smashes the Bridge of Blades.

Come on, Tom.

These rockclimbers have all the skills, don't they, Freddie?

FREDDIE: He's lean, he's strong,

he has an amazing grip strength of all those years of climbing.

And his endurance, you would imagine, will be off the chart.

Rings to Cargo Net now.

Come on. Come on. Come on.

Gets the legs up into the air

so that he can propel himself onto the second ring.

It looks so far away.

Not so far for Tom, no,

when you have arms and legs as long as he has.

Come on. Come on.

Come on. Yes!

That's the launch of the night. Great aggression.

No chance of falling off when you attack it like that.

And they're loving this so far.

I've got a good feeling about the 24-year-old on the Pipe Climber.

Tom has reached the pipe 10 seconds behind Ben's time.

They climb together. And they're neck and neck.

Come on, Daddy. Come on!

He's just gonna walk up it!

I've got to tell you,

that's his little daughter watching on at the moment.

It's late at night. Come on, Tom!

But she is watching every single move.

Come on, Tom! Come on.

And onto the third with one arm. Oh!

Now, you are getting a masterclass

in how to beat the Pipe Climber right now.

(LAUGHS) Tom is doing this so quickly.

Come on!

Grabs the final pipe with the legs

and there's the monkey climbing his way down.

OK.

I like what I'm seeing. Yes, yes, yes!

Come on, Dad!

CROWD: (CHANTS) Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

He's got the Warped Wall written all over him.

You know it and I know it.

And there he is!

Throws up the right leg! Yes, sir!

(BUZZ!)

Well done. What a feeling.

You little ripper!

2:38 -

our fastest time tonight.

Now, seasoned warriors often point to rockclimbers

as the athletes with the best skill set to beat this course.

Tom O'Halloran hasn't let us down.

His scintillating run of 2:38,

beating Ben Cossey's time

by 25 seconds.

Tom O'Halloran, our new leader!

How much did you enjoy that, mate?

Uh, not as much as that Ashes win.

Um... (LAUGHS)

Thanks. See you later, Tom. Good luck in the semis.

No, it was really fun.

I thought I'd, yeah, porked it up a couple of times throughout it.

But, um, yeah, it worked out pretty well. (CHUCKLES)

Great to have the family here supporting from the sidelines.

Congratulations.

I'll even take that one about the Ashes.

Mate, good luck in the semifinals. See you soon.

Thanks very much. Cheers, Tom. Good on you, mate. Cheers.

(CHEERING)

Coming up - can Andrea Hah and Lee Cossey,

two of the best rockclimbers in the country, top Tom?

Been neck and neck the whole time, so I think this will be the decider.

But warming up to run right after the break,

deaf cricketer Paul Cashion

is ready to make a stand on Ninja Island.

Plus AFL legend Adam Cooney is feeling confident.

I'll be particularly excited to hit that little button at the end.

He takes on Beau Ryan's run right after the break.

BEN: Welcome back to Ninja Warrior.

During the break, two more ninjas made it up the Warped Wall.

Olympic canoeist Warwick Draper has a 2m-plus arm-span

but it was his long legs that got him through the Pipe Climber,

up the Warped Wall and into the semifinals.

Oh, yeah!

The early indicators were good for financial advisor Rob Sandover.

And with mum Wendy and dad Tony watching on with pride,

the 24-year-old from WA

put on a clinic of power, grip and speed.

(BUZZ!)

And weren't the folks happy.

Yes! Whoo!

REBECCA: Those two look certain

to join new leader Tom O'Halloran

in the semifinals.

In second place currently

is Ben Cossey.

And also looking good

for the semifinals is

NRL and footy show star Beau Ryan.

The battle royale started by Beau Ryan earlier tonight

is about to explode.

It's the second and final round of our Battle of the Codes.

Entering the arena, and hoping to end Beau's magic run,

is our next ninja,

former AFL star, Brownlow Medallist, Adam Cooney.

I'm Adam Cooney. I'm 31 years old.

I'm from Melbourne, Victoria.

And I'm the 2008 Brownlow Medallist.

I'm here because I retired from AFL

and I was getting extremely overweight,

so my wife forced me to come on the show.

I think everyone has to have a little blowout

when they finish playing AFL.

Unfortunately, I've probably taken it a couple of steps too far.

There's no comparison, really, to playing AFL football.

Obviously you're on the ninja course by yourself,

so it's you and everyone from Australia watching,

and hopefully not laughing at me

when I stuff it up on the first hurdle.

(CHEERING)

He's got an awesome sense of humour. A family man.

But this is out of his comfort zone, Bec.

(DING!)

The Quintuple Steps should be familiar, though.

AFL players, they have great lateral movement

running around players on the field.

And you'd know, Bec. AFL's in your blood.

Well, I haven't played it, but I do absolutely love it.

Oh, he's let go a bit late.

He's just grabbed the sweet spot, though, on the bungee.

That will save him.

How's he looking down there, Freddie?

FREDDIE: He's gripping on for dear life. He's a ginger ninja.

He's swinging. Oh, go on, Adam!

He will not give up. He will not let go.

Keep up there, mate.

That's the sign of a professional athlete.

When the chips are down, can you lift yourself back up?

He did.

Notice how quickly he flicked himself off there,

because otherwise the bungee puts you back over the water.

So he's done that better than anyone so far.

Bridge of Blades now. He's gotta be quick.

And that's not quick enough!

And he's down! Oh!

Coons finds the water on the Bridge of Blades.

Oh, he is not gonna be happy with that.

Beating the Bridge of Blades is all about speed,

yet one of the fastest men in the AFL tried to take it slow.

The wrong tactics costing this star bragging rights

and handing the first Battle of the Codes to Beau Ryan from the NRL.

What's that one called?

The Bridge of Blades or 'Bob' as we refer to him as.

Yeah, Bob got me. He did. You ended up under Bob.

But it was an amazing effort.

Ladies and gentlemen, big round of applause for Adam Cooney!

(CHEERING)

Coming up next, an inspirational ninja,

48-year-old cabinetmaker Paul Cashion.

Paul is deaf but he's never let that hold him back.

Paul Cashion!

Hello, Grace. How are you?

INTERPRETER: My wife, Sarah, and my daughter are coming tonight

as well as my stepson Josh,

who is interpreting for me.

I want all deaf people and all people with impairments

to see me tonight

and maybe, yeah, think that they can be on the show too.

My wife is fully deaf and my daughter is hearing.

INTERPRETER: Really lucky that we've got Grace.

My beautiful Grace, she's lovely.

She's great at signing. Beautiful.

It's been lovely watching their relationship.

They're very close.

I'm Paul Cashion.

I want to be the first deaf

Australian Ninja Warrior in the world.

(CHEERING)

And Paul will be getting some assistance tonight

from his stepson Josh.

So Josh will let Paul know when the buzzer sounds, to start his run.

What an inspirational bloke.

(DING!)

There you go. There's the signal.

And he's underway, Paul Cashion,

48 years old from Queensland.

Ooh! Oh, no.

No! (BUZZ!)

Just so unlucky.

Oh, and I just don't think he's realised.

Managed to get himself up there,

but it was just that touch of the water.

And once you've got a wet foot, you can't recover.

You are disqualified. But it's...

JOSH: Oh, he touched the water.

Tell him? OK.

Paul just listening to his stepson, receiving the news, sadly,

that he is disqualified.

It took a little time because of the signing that had to be done to Paul.

But he's just learnt that he is disqualified. Very disappointing.

Yeah, you can see the pride on Paul's face

as he looks at his family.

So happy to be here.

And just taking his first step

is a massive victory for Paul.

But you can see he's touched

the water on the third platform.

The rules are the rules.

Still, big congrats.

(CHEERING)

Coming up - the last two of our rockclimbing fab four -

partners Lee Cossey and Andrea Hah

prepare to face off for the first time ever.

Both being climbers, we're really drawn to Ninja Warrior.

But all eyes will be on Andrea.

Can she be the first woman up the Warped Wall?

REBECCA: Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior.

So far, two of our rockclimbers have been successful up the wall.

Tom O'Halloran... (BUZZ!)

BEN: You little ripper!

..and Ben Cossey.

He's up the wall!

First and third place respectively.

Now it's down to time.

Can the remaining two rockclimbers complete the course

and do it quicker?

As a climber, Ninja Warrior seems like the obvious thing

to try and conquer.

(CHEERING)

But entering the course now, we've had the 'fro, now meet the mo.

Alex Matthews is a 33-year-old aviation firefighter from Fremantle,

who has overcome huge odds to make it here to Ninja Island.

ALEX: 18 months ago, I had a car accident.

Unfortunately, a driver decided to run through the red.

Alex and I were supposed to have a date night...

and he never came home.

I broke my neck, I broke my wrist, I broke my foot.

In a neck collar for three months

and not able to do anything physically for six months.

It actually got to me really quickly and dragged me down.

(REFLECTIVE MUSIC)

My partner Mia, she was just outstanding.

Like, she was my rock.

As soon as I found out applications were opening for the show,

I thought, "Right, that's it, that's my goal."

It really gave me something to strive towards.

He has fought so hard,

so, so hard to come back to where he is today.

And he's a Ninja Warrior.

Now that I'm actually on the show,

I'm just amazed at where I've come from.

And it would mean a lot to me to get through this and do well.

Thank you to Mia.

When all this is over, I want a date night.

He promised me a date night.

He forgot my birthday and everything.

(LAUGHS) He better make it up to me.

What a superhuman effort, coming back from a broken neck.

I'm seeing Super Mario on that podium, Ben.

Will we see super Alex tonight? (DING!)

Well, unfortunately, Mia couldn't be here.

She has promised to be here if he makes the grand final.

Let's hope this crowd gets behind Alex and see what he can deliver.

Good start on the Quintuple Steps.

Now, the second obstacle, which has been a tough one tonight.

Here he goes - onto the bungee.

He needs to get onto that mat.

One foot on the mat.

And he's off. (CHEERING)

Crowd pumping him up.

Getting himself fired up now.

As he eyeballs the Bridge of Blades.

And he belts his way through it!

(CHEERING)

Just looking at the clock.

He's doing it quickly.

And that relaxed composure is impressive.

But this obstacle can be a game changer for many of our competitors.

He's on that first ring.

Getting the momentum so he can reach across.

And he does onto the second.

And now it's time to transfer onto the net.

He needs his full body weight

to get the momentum to get himself onto that net.

Will he go this time? Yes, he does.

Momentum not an issue.

And this bloke is a firefighter, so he knows all about pressure.

And, Ben, let's just remind everyone,

this is what you're looking at -

a remarkable athlete who can break their neck

and now be competing on this Ninja Warrior course.

Hats off to you!

Straight up the Pipe Climber.

A very slow climb up to the top of pipe number one.

Alex is only 13 seconds behind Tom O'Halloran at the same obstacle.

Wow. Where has this bloke come from?

He's made it harder for himself there

by transferring a little early.

He could have got those legs up higher on the first pipe.

But he's made it. He's across. (CHEERING)

The crowd is really starting to get behind the man with the mo.

Can't use the legs here.

It's got to be all hands and all arms.

And he's done it. He's on that third pipe.

OK, all he needs to do now is draw on that core strength

to lift those legs and get them wrapped around that pole.

Oh, it's gonna be a stretch, although the legs come in handy.

Super Mario, eat your heart out.

As he shakes off the sting from his right hand.

He's brought his A game here, no doubt about it.

A spectacular performance. He's just done it.

He's almost snuck under our radar, hasn't he?

Yeah, with little fuss.

And all of a sudden, look where he is -

just below us at the Warped Wall.

Shakes the hands out.

Ben, will he do it first attempt?

I think he will. (CROWD CHANTS)

I think everything else is pointing in the direction of yes.

And here he comes. He's up!

Alex Matthews! He's away!

He's home and hosed!

(BUZZ!) He pokes the tongue out.

Alex Matthews hauls himself up on top of the Warped Wall.

What an effort! You did that so well.

(CHEERING)

He's turned in an amazing performance.

Alex Matthews looks like he's through to the semis.

And maybe, just maybe, Mia might finally get that date night.

How did you find that, mate?

(GASPS) I'm buggered. Yeah, took it out of me, mate.

Did it? Great fun, though. Great fun.

You and your moustache are going through to the semifinals.

Great effort.

Ladies and gentlemen, unbelievable for a moustached man!

(CHEERING)

Next up, he's regarded as one of the very best rockclimbers in Australia.

He's just seen his brother Ben and good mate Tom

climb to the top of the leaderboard.

Time to see if Lee Cossey can deliver.

(DING!)

He needs to beat Tom's time of 2:38

and brother Ben's time of 3:03.

There's Lee's girlfriend, Andrea...

Good one, Lee.

..and his brother Ben, supporting him through that first obstacle.

ANDREA: Come on. Here's the second one.

He's got the wrong grip here, it looks like.

BUT... he's managed to hold on.

And look at the big kick up.

Looking for a dismount. Come on.

He got himself out of trouble, as he now faces the Bridge of Blades.

Come on, Lee. Come on, Lee.

Come on, come on, come on.

Straight down the middle, not a problem at all.

Skips down to the lower mat.

Rings to Cargo Net.

Steps back, looks up.

And look at him propel himself onto that first ring.

Awesome. Come on!

Come on, Lee!

Here he goes. And, yes.

(CHEERING)

And now, Lee Cossey,

arguably the number one rockclimber in the country,

makes his way towards the Pipe Climber.

Great reaction from his brother there, Ben, on the sideline.

FREDDIE: God only knows what he's saying to him.

If I was him, I'd blank it out. Just concentrate on the course.

(CROWD CHANTS)

His brother felt right at home here.

How is he going to go?

Oh, it's neat and tidy.

Great core strength.

ANDREA: Come on, come on.

He's got his feet over the middle of the first pipe.

Using the pendulum of that pipe to make that transition easier.

And now pipe number three.

Come on, Lee!

Keeping up that pace, maintaining that momentum.

And here come the ankles.

(LAUGHS)

It's a full body experience.

And now...

this is the test.

Oh, look at that relief.

He's made it to the Warped Wall.

The second Cossey brother to do so.

2:38 is the time to beat.

He'll only fit in one attempt to beat that time.

(CROWD CHANTS) Here he goes, Lee Cossey.

He's there. Of course he does!

First time's a charm!

(CHEERING)

(BUZZ!)

Lee Cossey, fastest time tonight -

2:32 -

just beating Tom's time by 6 seconds.

Incredible.

Look out, fellow competitors, the Cossey boys are coming your way!

Lee had to bring his A game to the course tonight.

Fellow climbers Ben and Tom set the bar high.

He had to smash it.

Edging out first place, Tom, by 6 seconds.

(ANDREA LAUGHS)

(CHEERING)

Lee's time of 2:32

just edged Tom O'Halloran

out of top place.

He beat Ben's time by 30 seconds

and storms to top spot

on our leaderboard.

But up next, history beckons for Lee's partner Andrea Hah,

the number one female rockclimber in the country.

I'm here to climb Mount Midoriyama.

Can she break the drought and become our first female finisher?

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

REBECCA: Welcome back to Ninja Warrior.

Tonight, 49 ninjas have taken their best shot at the course.

The afro ninja, Travis Edwards, blasted to the front early.

BEN: Yes!

But elite rockclimber Tom O'Halloran swung into the lead.

That was until just before the break

when one half of the Cossey brothers, Lee,

smashed the course in record time.

First time's a charm!

But up next, a woman who many believe could be the one.

Can our number one female rockclimber, Andrea Hah,

be the first up the Warped Wall on Australian Ninja Warrior?

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

ANDREA: I never thought I'd be where I am with my climbing.

When I started, I just really liked it and just kept climbing.

I Andrea Hah, I'm 30, I'm from the Blue Mountains

and I'm the best female all-around rockclimber in Australia.

I'm up against Tom, Ben and Lee,

who have been climbing for 20 years and they're really strong.

Climbers typically don't like to do a lot of training on their legs

'cause it's perceived as deadweight when you're climbing.

So that Warped Wall...

would be... a good challenge.

We've seen what rockclimbers can do tonight.

Will Andrea Hah climb her way into history?

(DING!)

She looks poised and balanced over the Quintuple Steps.

And the Cossey brothers, Lee and Ben,

they're watching on, offering support.

Slide to Box Jellyfish now

and that grip Andrea has over the blade is exactly right.

That's the best we've seen tonight.

Here we go! How's the transfer?

Oh, it's perfect!

Come on. Clean.

What about the dismount?

Oh, it's spot-on as well. Perfect technique.

Step for step, Andrea is matching the other rockclimbers.

(CROWD CHANTS) Come on.

Bridge of Blades time.

(CHANTING)

Oh, lightning fast!

Come on. Now the Rings to Cargo Net.

She's keeping that pace up.

Nice one.

Get up there! Good one. Awesome.

(CROWD CHEERS)

Come on!

As she gets ready to let go of the second ring, and to find the net!

She's done it! Look at that!

Stay high. Stay high.

That is the gold standard

for the way you attack the Rings to Cargo Net.

That is textbook.

Will she be the first woman up the Warped Wall?

Oh, Ben!

I can feel the tingle.

Let's get up on our feet, Australia!

Come on, Andrea. Do it for the girls.

But if she was worried about the Warped Wall,

the Pipe Climber is going to turn up the heat here.

Nice job. Come on.

(CROWD CHANTS)

Look at the methodical, meticulous nature

in which she takes on the first of four poles.

I've got to agree.

Every move Andrea is making is so calculated.

Even that right heel there -

just hanging onto the last moment to transfer on to the second pipe.

Come on. Yeah, yeah!

Oh! Do not...

Do not let go, Andrea.

Come on! Come on, Andrea!

Come on, Andrea! Yes!

Go, you good thing! Get those legs around the pole!

Grab a hold of it! You beauty!

Oh, goodness me!

Goodness me!

Slides down the pole.

Here we go, Australia!

This is a major moment on Australian Ninja Warrior.

Come on! Take your time. Come on.

Can she be the first female competitor up the Warped Wall?

Come on, Andrea. (CROWD CHANTS)

Not this time. One attempt.

Another two to go.

Take your time. Come on.

Relax. Come on.

She's going to have to explode as she hits the curve.

Come on! Come on!

Here she comes - the second attempt.

Is she gonna be the first woman up the wall?!

Ooh, and that is not a nice feeling, sliding down on your backside.

Heaps of time. Come on. Heaps of time.

She's gonna have to find some extra length in her body,

some extra guts, some extra determination!

But has she gone too hard in the early stages, Bec?

Has she got anything left? That's the big question.

(CROWD CHANTS) The crowd's pumping her up.

They want Andrea Hah up that wall.

Here we go!

No! (BUZZ!)

So close! Oh, down the Warped Wall.

That was her third and final attempt,

but what a performance.

Andrea almost making history.

But that run has secured her a place in the semifinals.

Andrea's performance, one for the ages.

We've not seen a more clinical display on the ninja course.

Every single obstacle attacked with poise and determination.

And Andrea was concerned about her lack of leg strength.

And we can see here on the crucial up-slope of the Warped Wall

she didn't have enough power to hit maximum acceleration

to drive her up to the top.

Still, only the third woman to make it to the Warped Wall.

Andrea, congratulations. Thank you.

You blitzed through the course up until you got to the Warped Wall.

Yep. Um, do a lot of climbing.

Don't do a lot of running up walls.

Great effort. Everyone loved it.

The crowd loved it. We loved it. Congratulations.

Ladies and gentlemen, Andrea Hah!

Thank you. Thanks. (CHEERING)

Lee Cossey finished on top

with the fastest time tonight.

The rockclimbers dominated

with Tom O'Halloran finishing second

and Ben Cossey

completing the trifecta.

They'll be joined in the semis

by afro ninja Travis Edwards.

The man with the mo, Alex Matthews,

also made the cut,

finishing in seventh place.

Andrea Hah secured her spot

in the semis, finishing 11th.

And the bolter of the night,

The Footy Show's Beau Ryan

just scraped into the semis

with his incredible run.

We have seen some amazing runs tonight

from a diverse group of Australians.

But the Performance of the Night

goes to our furthest, fastest,

Lee Cossey.

For those competitors that didn't make it through,

I know they'll be licking their wounds.

They'll be so disappointed.

But I have no doubt, Ben, they will be back next year.

I agree with you 100%.

We can't wait for the next chapter in this epic journey

as we search for the first ever

Australian Ninja Warrior!

Goodnight.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

..the last qualifying heat.

Only 18 semifinal spots remain.

Oh, yeah!

Taking her chance, Olympic snowboarder Stephanie Magiros.

STEPHANIE: I am already an Olympian.

Adding an Australian Ninja Warrior to the list,

I'm definitely chasing that.

..a Gold Coast Tarzan whose training methods are anything but ordinary.

I don't go to gym. I have a course in my backyard.

Whoo!

Zoe Featonby has overcome it all to be tougher than titanium.

Well, I'm called 'the Titanium Woman'

because when I was 16,

they inserted a titanium rod

in my spine.

And Bachelor Tim Robards

will be hoping to sweep the course off its feet.

It's great for me to have a goal and just have something to aim for.

That's tomorrow night on Australian Ninja Warrior.