Original subtitles

BEN: Over six history-making heats,

300 of Australia's top athletes

took on the world's toughest obstacle course.

You ripper! BEC: That was spectacular!

Heroes returned with unfinished business.

WOMAN: You feel a lot of pressure to get up that wall.

Oh, my goodness!

And the newcomers,

with a burning desire to prove they have what it takes.

MAN: It's what I'm made for. This guy is an awesome athlete!

There were shocks.

FREDDIE: Oh, no! Down! Oh, no!

Oh!

Oh, even champion athletes are struggling on this course.

There were sensations.

Ninjas, beware, Ashlin Herbert is back!

And towering above it all,

six amazing women who conquered the unforgiving Warped Wall.

Now their journey to the top of Mount Midoriyama is one step closer,

as tonight it's the first of four epic semifinals

and 30 of the country's best ninjas will battle it out

for just eight grand final places.

For me, it is just another stepping stone to hit Mount Midoriyama.

But the brutal course is 50% longer

and the obstacles harder than anything seen before.

And you only get one shot.

Superstar science student Bryson Klein wowed in the heats.

Who is this kid? Whoo!

Can this newcomer do it again?

Plus, the lightning-quick Ashlin Herbert takes to the course,

as well as the Deadly Ninja, Jack Wilson.

And can Olivia Vivian

become the first female ninja into the grand final?

OLIVIA: I'm just gonna give everything I've got,

leave nothing behind.

Who has what it takes to become Australia's first Ninja Warrior?

Welcome back to Ninja Island

and the first semifinal of Australian Ninja Warrior 2018.

Over the past two weeks,

we've seen hundreds of Australia's fittest and strongest athletes

take to our course with just one goal in mind -

to conquer Mount Midoriyama.

Tonight, 30 ninjas will take another step on their journey to glory

when they come face-to-face with an expanded course.

It will be tough, but these ninjas wouldn't want it any other way.

Tonight, Perth's ninja love couple, Ben Polson and Olivia Vivian.

Olivia has taken the world by storm

with her performance up the Warped Wall.

It created history.

Also tonight, the Deadly Ninja, Jack Wilson,

our favourite fro, Ashlin Herbert,

and newcomers Bryson Klein and Matt Tsang.

They'll be keen to once again set a cracking pace.

Now, at semifinals stage, we take things up a notch or three.

The course is longer and tougher

and the physical and mental demands placed on our ninjas

are greater than ever before.

The course expands from six obstacles to nine,

each one harder than anything they faced in the heats.

First, the Quadruple Steps.

We've removed the first step, meaning a 2m jump off the platform.

Next, the Frame Slider.

There's nothing to hold onto, so ninjas push out with hands and feet

as they ride through two heavy jolts.

The Broken Pipes make the old Bridge of Blades

look like a walk in the park -

two free-spinning pipes with a break midway.

Step off centre by even a millimetre and they spin out of control.

The Swinging Peg Boards

is where the course goes to work on the upper body.

With all their weight on their arms,

ninjas use pegs to cross two swinging boards

with a big transition in between.

Arms are burnt again on the Sky Hooks.

A big swing up to the first hook,

transfer to the second, then a monster lache to the third.

Then obstacle six, the Warped Wall.

Half the ninjas in the semis made it up

but reach the top now and the view is terrifying.

The three hardest obstacles are still to come.

First, the Salmon Ladder to Floating Monkey.

It's all arms again.

Three jumps up the Salmon Ladder followed by a perilous crossing,

carrying the bars to traverse the pool below.

Complete that and then there's the Hourglass to Tramp to Rope.

It's a diabolical combination.

Traverse the tilting hourglass,

then an unpredictable bounce off the trampoline,

up again to reach the ropes and swing to safety.

Finally, exhausted ninjas face the Chimney to Rope Climb -

7m straight up.

For the first four, ninjas can use their legs

but from then on, it's a rope climb.

No touching the walls. Reach the top and you're done.

The Warped Wall is now just a step on the way to the big semifinal finish

but nonetheless, it needs to be beaten

if our ninjas want to give themselves the best chance

of making the grand final.

Adding to the pressure, only the top eight ninjas who go furthest fastest

will make it past the semis and take their shot at the $200,000 jackpot

and title of Australian Ninja Warrior.

So let's get started. Semifinal one.

Of all this season's newcomers, this guy was one of the biggest surprises.

He is our lightest male and one of the shortest.

He has more power in one finger than many have in two arms

and he blew the qualifying course away.

He is the amazing Matt Tsang.

MATT: So, coming to the semifinals

is definitely a bit different to the heats.

Everyone here now kind of deserves to be here.

Everyone's a lot stronger, a lot fitter than before.

For my first heat, I think being light was pretty good overall.

He's doing it one hand at a time. He's making it look easy.

Even if you're small, you can be very strong.

I've been rock-climbing for around 12 years,

basically since I was a little boy.

I've competed internationally.

I was actually selected to represent Australia

for Youth Olympics in 2014.

So, in Ninja Warrior,

you only get one shot and one chance and that's it.

So, going into semifinals, I want to make sure that I'm again focused,

I want to make sure that I give it everything,

I want to commit to everything

and I'll make sure that I do the best I can.

BEC: Well, we are starting with a bang here.

This man is not only light, he is unbelievably athletic.

He just floated through the qualifying course.

FREDDIE: He wants to show you don't have to be big,

you don't have to be buff to get through this course.

Matt Tsang only weighs 57kg.

Bloomin' heck, that's about two of my legs.

I've only got two legs.

This guy is a star in the making but needs to get into the finals.

You got this, Matt! Come on! (CHEERING)

(DING) Here we go. Semifinal time.

Across that big first gap. Much further than the heats.

Everything steps a gear in the semis, Ben.

Matt was very comfortable in his heats.

Let's see what he brings to the table tonight.

First new obstacle, the Frame Slider.

Now, you've got to press your hands and feet out against the frame.

It's a tough one to come to grips with.

I'm not sure if he can reach the sides. He's only small.

He's gotta figure this out. WOMAN: Get a good grip!

You're dead right, Freddie. He's only 5'5".

He's taking his time here. He's got it now.

He's off through the jolts. It's tough to hold on.

But he does! Matt Tsang, well done.

Second new obstacle - the Broken Pipes.

Very similar to last year's Rolling Log and that caused havoc.

Matt needs to step dead centre or it will spin out from underneath him.

Matt Tsang, this is his chance. OK, off he goes.

Big opportunity... No, he's bombed out!

Oh!

Matt Tsang comes unstuck on obstacle three.

No! Matt Tsang, what happened? I don't believe it.

Matt Tsang, who blitzed the heats,

all of a sudden finds himself checking out early in the semifinals.

We knew this obstacle was tough and Matt has confirmed it.

You need to step exactly in the middle

but Matt's right foot just slipped down the side, spun the pipe

and not even his fast feet could save him.

Matt, I didn't see that coming.

We had big hopes for you in this competition.

I'm sure you did too.

Do you think Ninja Warrior surprised you, how difficult it actually is?

The thing with Ninja Warrior that's really hard

is just, it doesn't matter how strong you are,

it doesn't matter how good you are,

you have to perform 100% on the night.

You only get one shot at it and then, just like that,

you can kind of slip off and you can come crashing down.

That's the message for all of our ninjas -

one mistake and you're done.

Let's see how our next ninja goes.

BEN: Up now, Olympic gymnast Larrissa Miller,

who fears no obstacle except the Warped Wall.

She's yet to overcome it but this is semifinal time.

Anything can happen.

Let's get right behind Larrissa Miller!

I went to my first world championships when I was 17

and since then I've competed in five world championships,

a Commonwealth Games and two Olympic Games.

Ninja is really well suited to gymnastics

because I am a bar specialist, which is just a lot of upper-body stuff,

swinging around on a wooden pole for, like, two hours at a time.

Larrissa's always been driven to achieve things.

When they're goal-focused, they go for that goal

and they don't give up until it's achieved.

She doesn't like failing at all.

This is the moment. This is the test.

And now... Oh, no!

Look how close she was. Just a fingernail away.

This year I ended up getting all the way through,

up until the Warped Wall again...

It is time for redemption.

Oh!

..and I didn't make it up again.

You know, third time lucky, I'm hoping for the Warped Wall.

I just wanna make it up!

Like, I just wanna feel the satisfaction

of standing on top of the wall.

Series one, couldn't get up the Warped Wall.

In the heats, series two, couldn't get up the Warped Wall.

Come on, Larrissa. Third time lucky, kid.

I would love her to get to the finals.

PEOPLE: (CHANT) Larrissa! Larrissa! (DING)

And the first of the Quadruple Steps.

That's a long way for her. She's only got little legs.

Oh, she makes it, though.

She's only 5'3", Freddie.

Yeah, you can't help but think, Bec,

even though she's on obstacle number one,

that the Warped Wall is in her head.

It's been a real issue for her.

Three attempts during the heats, she couldn't get up it.

Last year, she couldn't get up it either. Maybe tonight's the night.

Frame Slider's first, though, Ben. She's up on her toes a bit.

Here she goes.

The Frame Slider brings her down to reality and all of a sudden...

One of our hottest female contenders finds herself in the pool

on the second obstacle.

Larrissa's small.

She has to fully extend her arms in the frame

and she's pushing out with just her toes.

You want your feet flat against the frame for better grip.

On the first jolt, her body slips downward

and there is no way to recover from that.

FREDDIE: Larrissa, you keep edging closer.

This time you got to the semifinals.

If you come back again, maybe you'll get to the final.

Yes, definitely. I'm gonna get that wall.

Next season, that wall is mine. (LAUGHS)

Just seeing all the women in semifinals, it's inspiring

and, you know, like, I want to get there.

Well, you've been a real treat to have on the show.

Ladies and gentlemen, Larrissa!

Mate, you're a star.

(CHEERING)

From one star to another and a man who's set his sights on redemption.

He crashed out in the semifinals last year

and he's been burning to earn one of those eight grand final places.

He is the real-life Tarzan.

It's Ryan Roberts.

RYAN: If I can get to the final, I want to hit Mount Midoriyama.

I climb trees every day.

The smallest ones are 30m, 35m. Mount Midoriyama's 22.

At the end of the day, if I can just get my nerves right,

I really believe I can get to the top.

My performance in the heat, I was really happy with.

(BUZZER BLARES) BEN: Ryan Roberts hits the buzzer!

I got to the top and I kind of just looked at Mel

and I went, "I've done this for you."

We bought a house riddled with termites.

Instead of spending money fixing it, built a ninja gym.

I owe my partner a lot of things.

I owe her the 200,000 this year on Mount Midoriyama,

so, for me, there is a suitcase waiting up there.

I pretty much have to get to the top, open it and show my partner Mel

and say, "This is yours for letting my dream come first."

Look at him, all Tarzan. Whoo!

He wants redemption for crashing out in the semifinals last year.

Let's go, baby! You've got this!

He needs to prove to his girlfriend it's all been worth it.

Having said that, she's buying into it.

She's dressed as Jane on the sideline.

It is semifinal time and these guys are the best of the best.

BEN: They are, but only eight will get through to the grand final.

Can Ryan be one of them?

Moving very fast through the Quadruple Steps. Great balance.

Now up to the Frame Slider. Needs to wedge himself in here.

Here he is, Ryan, now fixing himself in the Frame Slider.

Coming down. Gotta keep on time.

Oh! Oh! Unconventional landing.

As long as he's still dry, he's OK.

Now, the Broken Pipes just took out Matt Tsang.

Got to keep it straight. Tipping, tipping, tipping...

HOSTS: Oh!

Tarzan is in the drink!

Ryan, no.

Oh, no. Real shame for Ryan Roberts.

Ryan battles the spin all the way to the centre,

where he tries to regain his balance.

Problem is, he's already falling,

so he tries one last desperate Tarzan leap

but can't make the distance.

I know you wanted to do this and show to your girlfriend

it's all been worth it,

converting the house into a ninja gym and all sorts.

She's very understanding, isn't she, your missus?

She's a very, very special woman.

Oh, top man. Do you think we'll see you again next year?

I'll be back, don't you worry.

Top man. Ladies and gentlemen, Tarzan!

(CHEERING) Unlucky, mate.

Go, Pup!

(SPEAKS INAUDIBLY)

That's alright.

Tarzan clearly shattered, but that's Ninja Warrior.

There are no second chances.

BEC: The bar on Ninja Island has been set higher than ever

but coming up in semifinal one, we have the ninjas to reach it.

There are three members of Perth's mighty Ninja Academy -

Adam Chatfield, Ben Polson and the amazing Olivia Vivian...

We've put in a lot of hard work this last year.

It'd be nice for it to pay off.

..all determined to score a place in the grand final

and the Ninja Warrior history books.

BEN: There's the awkward student Bryson Klein.

(LAUGHS)

No-one picked him as a star until he hit the course.

And honestly, I was a bit dazed, a bit, like, "Oh, I'm here. Whoa!"

Rugby league hard man Paul Gallen.

I may not have made it up the Warped Wall in the heats

but just like State of Origin, you never give up.

And next up, one of the biggest names of all, Deadly Ninja, Jack Wilson.

He's back and he's brought along his number one fan.

They call me 'Wookie' and I'm Jack's dad.

JACK: Super proud that he's here to see me in action.

The Deadly Ninja, Jack Wilson, is coming up after the break

on Australian Ninja Warrior.

BEN: Welcome back to Ninja Island and the first of four semifinals.

The course is longer - nine obstacles -

and each night, just eight grand final spots are up for grabs.

Out in the warm-up area is a firm favourite to claim one of those.

The Deadly Ninja, Jack Wilson, is on course soon.

But first, a man who also has his eyes on the prize.

Our next semifinalist is NRL legend Paul Gallen.

This Sharks star looked to be cruising through the heats

until the Bridge of Blades brought him down.

Paul Gallen!

RAY WARREN: Now Finucane... Oh!

I'm used to copping some big hits on the field every single weekend.

But I wasn't expecting to be hit that hard on Ninja Warrior.

Oh, what? No!

When I saw it coming around,

I knew I was in all sorts of trouble when it hit me

and it was as big a hit as I've ever taken.

Go, Daddy! Go, Daddy!

Now I'm in the semifinals,

my eight-year-old daughter is coming back tonight

and she's just super excited to see me do it all over again.

No matter how far I get, she's proud of me.

I've never been hit harder than I was hit by the Bridge of Blades.

But just like a game of footy,

I won't be giving up and I'll be back again tonight.

FREDDIE: NRL legend.

I know on this show I shouldn't have favourites.

I shouldn't be up for one person more than the others

but I would love to see this bloke get to the end.

He's got his wife and his daughter on the sidelines.

I'm sure he's made them proud already.

But just one step further, Paul Gallen. Come on!

'Big Gal', Paul Gallen, the 2016 NRL premiership captain

for the Cronulla Sharks

and rugby league fans will be tuning in around the country at the moment.

(DING) BEC: There's the buzzer.

Nice big leap.

Slow and steady. Paul looks to be taking his time here.

He's taking his time, alright.

He is a big, strong unit - 104 kilos.

(CHEERS) FREDDIE: Oh, daughter Charly.

Her face on the side is a picture.

Just looking on her dad adoringly, so much pride and love in her eyes.

Coming up to the Frame Slider.

He's struggling to even get his legs up there. They're like tree trunks!

They're too big! Hang on, Gal!

Oh, yes! (SQUEALS) Yes!

(LAUGHS) Yes!

I reckon this is the obstacle he is worried most about.

The Bridge of Blades saw him off in the heats.

Here he goes... Oh...

Paul... Oh! No!

You know what... In the water!

..balance was always going to be a challenge for him.

Toughness is never going to be an issue with Paul Gallen.

But this time those Broken Pipes just got the better of him.

Gal didn't take a big enough first step, sadly.

The pipes started to spin as soon as his left foot touched it,

then the weight of his right foot created an unrecoverable roll.

If he'd taken a longer step,

he might have been able to reach the halfway point and recover

but sadly, it's game over.

Paul, obstacle three again.

It was the Bridge of Blades took you out in the heat.

This time, the Broken Pipe.

PAUL: Yeah, I was worried about it all day.

I'm a bit heavy for it. But really glad to be here. I had a good time.

Do you know what, one of my favourite things

I've seen on Ninja Warrior this time round

was your daughter Charly on the sidelines.

Her look of pride and love in her eyes was amazing.

Oh, thanks for your support, little darling.

You know, we watched this program last year religiously.

We absolutely loved it.

And for me to be on it this year, no, the kids are over the moon

and I feel privileged to be here, so it's good fun.

Mate, we've loved having you on.

Legend of rugby league, legend of Ninja Warrior,

ladies and gentlemen, Paul Gallen!

(CHEERING) Mate, absolute legend.

Cheers, mate.

BEN: It's time to raise the roof here on Ninja Island

as our semifinals continue

because the one and only Deadly Ninja, Jack Wilson,

is about to enter the arena.

He was one of the stars of last year.

He's already a contender to go up Mount Midoriyama this year.

But he needs to get through this semifinal.

Jack Wilson!

ALL: Deadly Ninja! JACK: Whoo!

My nemesis from last year was definitely the Basket Toss.

The Basket Toss. Onto the first basket.

In the heats, when I seen the course,

I was like, "Oh, here we go."

FREDDIE: is where he came off in the finals.

Won't want to make that mistake again.

It was good to get a bit of revenge.

(CHEERING)

It's very heartwarming to know

that my family members are here to support.

For the first time, making his debut, is my father.

He's here for the semis.

He couldn't make the heats 'cause he was crook.

I know that he'll be happy to see me here.

Dad's always been very strong-minded.

That's where I get my determination from.

It's very important to have role models in your life.

You know, some don't have role models,

so I'm very lucky to have that in my life.

I'm super proud that he's here to see me in action.

That's very special to me.

(CHEERING)

BEN: There is dad Warren, along with mum Debbie,

brother Michael on the right, his best mate Jeffrey.

(DING)

BEC: I've had so many people in the last few days

asking me in the street,

"When are we going to see Jack Wilson again

"on the Australian Ninja Warrior course?"

Well, here he is.

(CHEERING) MAN: Go, Jack!

Frame Slider now. He's got to wedge himself in there.

A bit sideways, but he seems to be gripping OK. One jolt, two jolts.

Nicely done! Too easy!

Too easy! Now the Broken Pipes.

He's not waiting. Straight on.

Stops halfway, which is not a bad move.

Gets composure... Trips, but gets through.

(CHEERING)

And after becoming the first to get through the pipes tonight,

he now has a look at the Swinging Peg Boards.

Trying to work out a strategy.

He's got to swing up there, then use the pegs to work his way across.

It's all in the arms.

He'll want to make the most of those biceps

and keep the pressure off his forearms.

OK, it's time to start moving those pegs, Jack.

Just look behind here now to all the fans in the crowd.

Face paint, T-shirts, banners -

everybody knowing who this young man is.

WOMAN: Oh, yeah! MAN: Let's go, Jacky boy!

Yeah! (CHEERING)

Let's go, Jack! That's it.

MAN: Let's go, champ.

BEC: Now the transfer. Tosses away a peg. That's alright.

There are three on this board if he needs them.

He's being very careful and methodical

and still he's got the strength to keep those arms bent.

See how he's using his legs to build up the swing,

using his whole body?

And you need to. That's the skill this bloke's got.

Here he goes. Yes, he nails it. Jack Wilson, on fire!

Let's go, champ! Let's go, champ!

Now onto the Sky Hooks,

edging ever closer to the end of this semifinal course.

But there's a long way to go yet.

Yes, he hooks on the first time.

Now he's got to transfer to the second ring.

Let's go, champ! Let's go, champ!

This is a big challenge. He's got to lache across to the next ring.

It is nearly 2m away. Oh, he's done it!

Whoo! What an athlete!

Oh, beautiful dismount! Let's go, champ.

And he points to the family. Mum and Dad couldn't be prouder.

PEOPLE: (CHANT) Beat that wall! Beat that wall!

Now time for the Warped Wall.

We know he can do this

but the crowd still chants, "Beat the wall!"

(CHEERING AND WHISTLING)

He's up the wall. Takes a moment to enjoy it.

But you are not finished yet, Jack, not by a long way.

This is where the heats ended

but now the rubber hits the road in the semis.

See him shaking his arms there. The fatigue is building.

But the obstacles get a whole lot harder.

None harder than this one - the iconic Salmon Ladder.

It's so tough. Jack... Let's go, bro.

..is testing the trampoline.

He needs to bounce up to the bar, then muscle his whole body weight

up not one, not two but three rungs.

Here he goes. He's on the bar. First time we've seen this this year.

Up one... No. Up half of one. He's corrected it.

There's two.

There's three! Let's go, bro!

Now he needs to get onto the monkey bars,

the Floating Monkey Bars.

Reach onto the next. Now gotta take this monkey bar with him.

Crosses over. Finds the gap nice and easily.

Not easy, Freddie. His arms will be burning.

The fatigue is building and building.

The dismount now. One last big jump. Gets the momentum up.

There we go!

(CHEERING) He's off. He's made it.

Two obstacles to go. The Deadly Ninja climbs his way up.

He is gassed.

And now the Deadly Ninja gets ready for the Hourglass to Tramp to Rope.

Now, look out for this nasty tramp.

Jack won't have seen one like this before. It's gonna drop a long way.

If he's not ready, it's gonna cause him a big headache.

Here he goes... Oh! Oh!

Well... Just like that.

We knew that was a challenging part.

But that was a brilliant run all the same, Jack Wilson.

Absolutely superb.

But even when you've got some of the best,

you never know what's gonna happen.

The Deadly Ninja gave us our first real look

at just how hard this course is.

Each of these obstacles builds the fatigue.

Each one is harder than the last.

But this trampoline,

it's not like the mini tramps earlier in the course.

The webbing stretches. It drops three times further.

See his knees collapse as he sinks into it?

He needed to get them firm to get enough bounce to reach into the bar.

A sensational run comes to an end.

Jack, if there was one person I wasn't expecting getting wet tonight

it was you, mate.

JACK: Tough course. They throw things at you that you're not used to.

But I'm just so glad how far I've come.

Got your dad on the sidelines tonight for the first time.

Yeah, the old man's here.

He couldn't make it to the heats this season 'cause he was crook.

He's actually still a little bit sick

but, you know, he made it on the sideline and made me proud.

(CHEERING)

Ladies and gentlemen, Jack Wilson!

Jack Wilson - furthest, fastest so far,

staking a claim for a top-eight spot.

But there are plenty more to come.

She calls herself 'The Crazy Old Lady' -

53-year-old Linda Buttigieg.

Ready to go! Can't wait! Let's get it started!

After a stunning heats performance,

you'd be crazy to underestimate her tonight.

The first member of Perth's lethal Ninja Academy, Adam Chatfield.

His first child was born while he was on TV last year.

Darcy was actually born when I was actually on the screen

doing the Quintuple Steps.

(ALL CHEER)

But next, she says she only trains twice a week

and loves nothing more than a beer

but there's more to Laura Dean than meets the eye.

Welcome back to the first semifinal of Australian Ninja Warrior,

where we are looking for just the top eight, furthest, fastest

to progress through to the grand final.

Next up is a beer rep who reckons she only trains a couple of times a week

and likes a cold one as part of the recovery.

But like all our ninjas, she's earned her place in the semis

and has the ability to go far.

Let's get right behind her, Ninja Island.

Laura Dean!

LAURA: I work in beer sales.

Beer sales involves a lot of different things,

my favourite part of which is just drinking beer.

(SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY)

I think you can drink beer and still be a ninja.

I think it's part of a balanced lifestyle.

I had a game plan for Bridge of Blades,

which was jump, jump and then dive.

FREDDIE: Speed, speed, speed... Oh, no, she's in water.

Unfortunately I forgot the dive

and stayed upright and got absolutely smacked.

So that's OK. You live and you learn.

I'm so glad there's so many girls in the semifinals

and I'm so keen to see girls go far in this competition.

I think we deserve to be here. I think we're as good as the guys.

You know, I'm looking forward to running it

and having a cheeky beer afterward.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Go!

BEN: There's dad Trevor, mum Barbara, brother Michael.

FREDDIE: Somewhat of an underdog in the semifinals.

She said she's not an athlete.

She says she wants to show that the average person can do it.

Laura, you're in the semifinal of Australian Ninja Warrior!

There's nothing average about you. (DING)

Go and smash this course!

BEC: Oh, she's out of the blocks

with a flying start on the Quadruple Steps.

She says she's an inner-west bogan who loves to drink tinnies.

That's something you haven't heard on Ninja Warrior before.

Sounds like my cricket career.

Come on, Laura! Go, Laura!

Here she is. She has to wedge herself in.

Come on, Laura.

Just having a few problems there, wedging herself in the frame.

Come on, you got it! BEN: Come on, Laura.

Just struggling with the concept a little bit.

Yeah. Here we go, Laura.

Come on. Hang on for dear life, kid.

Yes, Laura! That's it.

She's done it. She's through.

Go, Laura! The Broken Pipes.

Only Jack Wilson's made it across.

And she's taking a long time to size them up.

Come on, Laura. You've got to go. She just doesn't want to do it.

Rip off the band-aid! Here she comes. Hold on.

Hold on, Laura. She's still alive.

Now, these are the rules.

You can only use that red mushroom to lift up.

You can't use that black bit there. But she's up.

Can she be the second ninja across the pipes?

It's a mental hurdle, isn't it? Yes!

Can she do it? She did. She's through.

Only the second ninja to make it.

Take your time, take your time.

You just can't underestimate any of our ninjas.

They surprise you every time.

Look at this. Laura Dean, Swinging Peg Board.

I would be amazed if this woman, who says she only trains twice a week,

can get through this obstacle.

OK. One arm on, now the other. Just hanging there.

Doesn't have Jack Wilson's upper-body strength.

Oh, she misses the hole!

Just one arm. Hang in there, Laura.

She can barely reach the next one. She's got to figure this out.

Now she's moving. On the backhand.

This is classic Ninja Warrior.

She doesn't have massive strength but she's finding her own way through.

Come on, Laura.

Gosh, look at this. This is unbelievable.

It's just pure guts. Everything is hanging off her grip.

She's been on for nearly 40 seconds already.

It's not conventional. She's finding her own way of doing this.

But it's working. WOMAN: Well done, girl!

She's about to make the transfer from the first board to the second.

Yes, Laura! She might just make it.

Come on, Laura Dean!

Laura Dean - the sheer will and determination

is getting this woman through the course.

Here we go.

She's going to make it off this obstacle.

Oh... Oh, no!

The legs in the pool! Laura, Laura!

(CHEERING) So close! So close.

Talk about a surprise packet!

19th in her heat. Currently second place in the semifinal.

Laura not only beat the Broken Pipes,

she moved across the Swinging Peg Boards in her own unique style,

showing strength we didn't know she had.

One more swing before releasing and she would have made it.

Definitely feel like the underdog. Everyone here is an athlete.

So impressive. But I feel like I had a good run.

Super proud to be here.

I've got a few tinnies, just a few sneaky ones on the island.

I will seek them out.

Remember, we're looking for the eight furthest fastest,

so Laura's in with a chance of making the grand final.

And on form, so is our next competitor.

He's part of Perth's Ninja Academy.

All five members made it up the Warped Wall in the heats.

Three are competing tonight.

Can he pave the way again tonight?

Let's give him a big welcome.

Adam Chatfield!

That's five out of five for the Ninja Academy from WA.

ADAM: It was an awesome feeling... Yes!

..for the five of us from Ninja Academy

to get all the way to the end and hit the buzzer.

Tell you what, there must be something in the water in that joint.

I would love to see the whole of the Ninja Academy

through to the grand final.

We've put in a lot of hard work this last year.

It'd be nice for it to pay off.

I'm super determined to make it to finals.

I just missed out last year.

Came off on the Hanging Spikes.

Oh, well, Adam Chatfield!

I'm not having a repeat of that.

I want to make finals. That's where I'm gunning for.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Say, "Go, Daddy!"

There's little Darcy on the sideline. Go, Daddy!

Now, Darcy was being born this time last year

when Adam was competing on season one of Ninja Warrior.

Yeah, Adam! You got it, man!

BEC: And that's the rest of the Perth academy crew

cheering him on too.

Ben and Olivia will be competing later in the semi.

(DING) OK.

Here we go on the Quadruple Steps.

He's not tall - 5'9". He's nice and light - 64 kilos.

Adam Chatfield safely through the Quadruple Steps.

Yeah, Adam! Come on.

One down! Let's go.

Now onto the Frame Slider.

First of the Perth Ninja Academy.

These lads train so hard for this.

It would mean so much to get to the final.

Whoo! That's it!

BEC: The Broken Pipes - this is the one they're all worried about.

Now, this tricky little devil...

Oh, no! He's OK.

You're almost there, you're almost there!

You got it, Adam! You got it!

Composes himself.

Halfway... and home!

(CHEERING)

Adam Chatfield - the Ninja dream was almost over on the Broken Pipes.

Needs to regain his composure now.

Come on, Adam! Come on, Adam!

On the Swinging Peg Boards. He's up. He's on.

And as well as strength, this is a test of strategy.

You've got to think clearly

and place those pegs where you need them the most.

And Adam's being very methodical here.

One hole at a time.

But the longer you take, the more energy you burn.

OK. Here comes the swing.

BEC: Transferring now onto the second board. He's got it.

There are three pegs on this board if he wants them.

But he looks like a man in a hurry here.

Looking for the dismount. Yeah!

He's off. One hand and he swings his way off.

And now this is the Sky Hooks.

Look at him now, taking a deep breath.

Even the guys who train tirelessly for this finding it tough.

He has spent hours in the ninja gym in Perth, but still finding it hard.

Shake of the head.

So, here we go. He's got the first ring.

Swings it up. Almost hooks it.

Now... Oh!

Yes, he hooks it that time.

Moves on to the next ring.

Now needs to get that second ring into the third and final peg.

This is where he'll be burning.

This is where their shoulders will be hurting,

the fingers will be hurting...

Oh! Oh, my word!

Oh, what a shock that was and what a massive splash!

Adam Chatfield, from the Perth Ninja Academy, gone!

Adam's arms were screaming with the back-to-back obstacles.

On the Sky Hooks, he made the second ring but his body got off-line here,

you can see, and he rushed his attempt at the lache,

falling short of the hook.

You're as stunned as everybody else here tonight

to see you fall off there.

Yeah, just went a little bit sideways on me.

I wasn't expecting that.

But I think my body kind of went out to the left and that threw me.

OK, ladies and gentlemen, Adam Chatfield!

(CHEERING) Unlucky, mate.

BEN: Bad luck for Adam. But let's look at the leader board.

Deadly Ninja Jack Wilson sits on top, Adam Chatfield next best,

followed by the beer rep Laura Dean.

'Tarzan' Ryan Roberts

and rugby league star Paul Gallen round out the top five.

Only the top eight make it through.

And the big names keep coming in the semifinals.

Still ahead, there's the man with the speed and the hair,

Ashlin Herbert.

I have a good vibe about the course. It looks like good fun.

And two more from Perth's Ninja Academy -

history-making Olivia Vivian...

I want to be the first female up in that grand final.

..and after the break, her partner, Ben Polson.

I'm definitely hitting that buzzer again,

no doubt about it, no doubt in my mind.

We're gonna see them very shortly

and much more on Australian Ninja Warrior.

The competitors on Australian Ninja Warrior

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

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 another thrill-filled edition of Australian Ninja Warrior.

And during the break, some of our ninjas had their hopes dashed

on this semifinal course.

North Queensland miner Mitchell Knott should have worn his helmet.

Oooh... I think he may have hit his head.

Fortunately, pride was the only injury.

Parkour enthusiast Agustin Rodriguez made it through the Broken Pipes...

Whoop... Oh!

..but splashed out on the Swinging Peg Board.

He's in the pool.

And the crowd was right behind Viking warrior Espen Hjalmby.

The Viking clap continues around Ninja Island.

But it wasn't enough to get him home.

We are still waiting for someone to challenge Jack Wilson

and finish this tough semifinals course

and perhaps the next ninja is the man to do it.

Up next is a titan of Ninja Island, Ben Polson.

Along with girlfriend Olivia Vivian, Ben stormed through his heat

and recorded the fastest time of the night.

With his eyes firmly fixed on the prize,

ladies and gentlemen, here he is, Ben Polson!

Music production is a huge passion of mine.

I produce music under the name of Lakuno.

I really want to push my music out to the Australian public.

I feel Ben Polson ninja/DJ works really well.

The highlights of the heats for me was hitting that buzzer, obviously.

Boom! (BUZZER BLARES)

I had the fastest time.

And come semifinals, I ain't slowing down.

So, going into the semifinals tonight,

for me, it is just another stepping stone to hit Mount Midoriyama.

And a simple little error, you're out

and that's just the way the game is,

so who knows what's gonna happen.

FREDDIE: This lad is a serious competitor, Ben Polson.

Got to the finals last time round. Fastest through in his heat.

His girlfriend Olivia Vivian on the side.

You got it.

He'll have no problems on the Quadruple Steps.

Quadruple Steps aren't a problem with those long, long legs, Freddie.

Look at him. He's one supreme athlete.

Yeah, he's our tallest ninja. 196cm.

That arm span, Bec, is 2m.

Which is gonna be to his advantage

on many of the obstacles he's facing later.

(CHEERING)

Not this one, though. This requires great balance.

FREDDIE: Look at him, falling onto the middle.

It might not look much, this. A tall man needs balance.

And he's off. Three down.

He is one of the toughest competitors.

He finished the fastest of his particular heat

and that was just in a time of over two minutes.

He quit his day job as a gardener after Ninja Warrior last year

to focus on being a full-time ninja.

That's incredible.

He's dedicated the last 12 months of his life

to this course and this moment.

You got this.

Olivia Vivian is watching on, his ninja girlfriend,

and she'll be competing later on tonight.

Nice!

And she's giving him plenty of support and advice.

She's certainly doing that. And Ben acknowledges it as well.

He's giving her a wave, saying thank you.

And now the Sky Hooks.

This is where Adam splashed out.

Now he needs to get that first one onto the peg.

Oh, come on. You got it, you got it.

Misses the first one, misses the second one.

If I was him, I'd just stop for a second.

Oh!

Third time.

And now the transition.

This is the big gap here, Bec. This is almost 2m.

It may not look that on TV.

Oh, it looks it to me. It looks it to me...

Makes it. ..standing here.

And home.

Just the second ninja to get this far.

Look at the clock. Eight seconds faster than Jack Wilson.

Gesturing to the crowd, gesturing to Olivia. His arms are burning.

He's sore.

And this is one of our better ninjas.

It's all going on tonight.

He is hurting but nothing will stop him getting up this wall.

And it doesn't. He is there.

Come on, Ben. Come on, come on.

The academy guys cheering him on.

But the hard work is just about to start.

These next three obstacles are killers

and Ben Polson is looking like he's suffering a little bit.

OLIVIA: Nice.

He's stretching out those arms,

trying to force some of the lactic acid out.

That's what causes the burn.

And this course builds it up much faster than you can get rid of it.

Gee, he's taking a long time to get ready.

But it could cost him. This is furthest fastest.

Only eight get through.

OK. He's ready to go on the new obstacles.

First the Salmon Ladder to Floating Monkey.

There's his first rung.

His second rung.

Third rung. That's all he needs to do.

Now onto the bars.

Remember, the monkey bars move.

You take the first one to the third peg, the second one to the fourth.

Oh! Oh, he misses the first one.

Oh, but how can you hang there like that?

Now, Ben Polson,

the 25-year-old music producer from Western Australia, says, "I'm here."

Hell, yeah! (CHEERING)

He's getting tired.

Why wouldn't he? How hard is this semifinal course?

Look at him shake out those arms. His arms are burning.

They're stinging. You got this. You got this.

This is the Hourglass to Tramp to Rope.

No Ninja has passed this obstacle tonight.

You got this.

First the hourglass. You need good balance.

It tilts side to side.

That was steady.

Watch this. Oh, he's done it!

He's the first to make that transition successful...

Oh, he's happy too.

That was a little smile on his face

because that tramp can really trip you up.

That is absolutely phenomenal. (SQUEALS)

You know what... And he's got this last obstacle in the bag.

I know it. I can feel it, Ben.

Come on, one more to go, Benny!

The Chimney to Rope, the final obstacle,

and a place in the finals for Ben Polson.

You've got this!

7m straight up.

And he is suffering.

He'll suffer even more once he hits that rope.

And now he goes, Ben Polson.

4m to go. Grabs a hold of the rope.

3m to go!

Those arms must be burning.

He's got slippery hands but he's managing.

He's going to go.

Trying to grip the bottom of that rope with his feet. He's got it.

His arms are burning at the moment. The chest will be burning.

The legs will be burning.

But Ben Polson from Western Australia

has made it to the top of the chimney.

He's about to hit the buzzer. Go, go, go, go, go!

And he will catapult himself into the grand final

of Australian Ninja Warrior.

Simply outstanding, Ben! Whoo-hoo!

(SQUEALS) Whoo-hoo!

Absolutely outstanding! (LAUGHS)

We knew he had the talent, but Ben Polson had to deliver.

The Swinging Peg Board and Sky Hooks did plenty of damage to his arms

and he had to take a break

before attempting the final three obstacles.

But once again, he showed us he's got what it takes.

First ninja to finish the course

in an arm-burning six minutes, 15 seconds.

I know how hard you train. I know how fit you are.

I've never seen you struggle like that before.

Can you tell us how hard that course is?

That was by far the hardest course I've ever had to tackle.

I do not know what is in store for finals

but I'm a little scared, to be honest, so...

Olivia, do you want to come in here? Come in here, Olivia.

She's very proud. You should have seen... Oh!

(SQUEALS) Eh! Oh-oh!

Have you ever seen Ben struggle like that before on these obstacles?

Well, yes. Well, not these ones, but training...

He pushes himself to the max

and obviously it's paid off on a course this tough.

But I knew he could do it.

It was just up to him to know he could do it.

Never mind him. What about you? Can you do it?

Oh! (BOTH LAUGH)

I'm excited. We'll see what happens.

Ladies and gentlemen, Ben Polson!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Well done, mate.

BEN FORDHAM: Congratulations, Ben Polson, first to finish

and with only eight grand final spots up for grabs,

the pressure just went up a notch.

That was the moment to behold.

And his girlfriend, Olivia Vivian,

is coming up very soon on Australian Ninja Warrior.

Also ahead, student Bryson Klein

surprised us and himself in the heats

by finishing second on the night.

Didn't really know what was happening when I was doing it

but I got to the top and that's a good sign, isn't it? (LAUGHS)

What's he got in store tonight?

Linda Buttigieg, the self-described 'Crazy Old Lady'.

I just want to have a play on the equipment.

I'm just a big kid at heart.

She blew us away in the heats.

I just want to see how far I can go.

And next, king of the kids, schoolteacher Patrick Teylan.

KIDS: Australian Ninja Warrior!

Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior.

It's semifinals time

and up for grabs tonight, just eight places in the grand final.

Make it through and the ninjas are a step closer

to earning a shot at Mount Midoriyama

and the title of Australia's first Ninja Warrior.

Yeah, I think they're calling me up now, so I've gotta go, but...

We love you. We love you. Good luck.

We love you. Good luck.

Up now is a man who's taken Australian Ninja Warrior to school.

He's a teacher

who made it up the Warped Wall to qualify fifth in the heats.

Here is Patrick Teylan.

I'm a primary school teacher by day and then, by night, Ninja Warrior.

My class have gone Ninja Warrior crazy,

to the point where I've incorporated Ninja Warrior

into behaviour management

and rewarding the kids with doing ninja courses every Friday.

Good job. Keep going.

My class is a motivation for me to stay dry.

Oh... Ha! You fell off!

I've got my sights set on Mount Midoriyama.

I've got my eye on the prize

and that would be the ultimate buzzer to hit.

BEN: I said last year there was a distinct lack of footy socks.

Patrick Teylan responded. Have a look at those beauties, Bec.

(CHEERING) Go, Pat! You got this!

It's a real family affair tonight.

He's got his two sisters and brother there, along with his girlfriend.

(DING)

They call him 'Mr Ninja' in the classroom.

Let's see what he can teach us tonight.

(CHEERING)

He gets up. He needs to secure his grip in the Frame Slider.

Hold on tight for those two drops.

He does! And he's clear.

Well, the title of Mr Ninja, it came from the kids in the classroom.

Imagine them screaming, "Go, Mr Ninja!"

Oh, just stumbling a little bit but regaining his composure.

You can do it! Go, Patto!

Part two of the Broken Pipes. Wow.

He's OK. (CHEERING)

Let's go! Chanting, "Let's go."

Yeah, let's go.

Now onto the Swinging Peg Board.

You'd imagine, with the shape of him, the size of him,

he'd be well equipped for this obstacle.

Not one of our bigger competitors but lithe and agile.

5'6". 64 kilos.

Now here is the all-difficult transfer.

He's OK.

There we go. Great technique. Nice and smooth.

Did that with a lot of finesse.

And the dismount. This is a very classy Mr Ninja.

Now just sizing up the Sky Hooks.

They are tough. Here's the thing, though.

Just two ninjas have made it past here tonight,

so he is doing really well to get to this point.

Oh! He misses the hook on the first one.

He misses the second one. Oooh. He's still got a chance.

He's still got a chance. He gets it!

There you go, Mr Ninja. You nailed it.

Now onto the second ring.

Swings it from the second...

Oh!

(CHEERING) Oh, he got me wet.

You never know, he might still go through.

And I'm sure, regardless, all of the school kids in Mr Teylan's class

will be giving him many high-fives when he's back in class.

And he's taking the ring as a souvenir.

That's for show and tell.

It looked like Patrick was rushing to complete this obstacle.

He's throwing his legs forward and up

instead of building to a smooth swing.

The lack of momentum means he doesn't swing high enough to clear the hook,

just clipping the tip, which means Mr Ninja drops out.

There'll be loads of primary school kids watching you at home.

You got any message for them?

If you don't succeed, just keep trying and keep training.

But hopefully this is enough to get into the finals.

Yeah, fingers crossed. Ladies and gentlemen, Patrick!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Well done. Unlucky, pal.

Remember it's the top eight, furthest, fastest,

so Patrick's a good chance of making the grand final.

But there's a long way to go yet.

And our next competitor will be pushing hard for her spot.

We didn't give her much hope in the heats

and she taught us all a lesson.

Give it up for Linda Buttigieg.

LINDA: I'm not just a crazy old lady.

She did it! Oh!

And she's done it her way!

To be the oldest female to make it to the semis

and to see all the people that I'm here with...

Big boys. I mean, I'm looking up at them, literally.

I can't believe I'm here. It's just amazing.

The heats, they were just so fast. You didn't have time to think.

Go, Linda!

Oh!

And I just didn't get a good jump on the trampoline.

So there was a little bit of extra training.

Well, I'm a professional at it now, so... (LAUGHS)

Now, it's not often polite to talk about a woman's age

but here on Ninja Island, it's absolutely OK to do.

FREDDIE: She's 53! Look at her! 53 years of age!

Can she get into the final?

We all hope so, Freddie. Here we go.

Linda Buttigieg onto the Quadruple Steps.

Gonna want to show the young guns how it's done.

Experience - you can't buy it or you can't bottle it.

Don't forget, gentlemen,

she is ranked third in the world in pole vault in her age group.

She is a really serious athlete. Whoo!

Her mates Wendy and Paul are watching on.

Come on, Linda. Can you imagine Linda out the back?

You've got 20-year-olds there and she's done so well.

Make no mistake, she is up there with the best of them.

As now she's trying to mount herself on the Frame Slider.

Don't talk yourself out of it, Linda.

Get that foot up, push in and off you go.

Yes, Linda, you're in there now. Hang in there, Linda...

No, not yet, Linda!

She's gone!

That was a big fall.

Linda takes a dip on the second obstacle.

But wow, what an amazing effort.

53 years of age, our oldest female ninja through to the semis.

Congratulations.

Linda's right foot only has her toes touching the frame,

so she doesn't have the grip as tight as it could be.

Her left knee buckles at the first drop.

She doesn't have the strength to hold on and face-plants.

Linda, come here. Oh, give me a cuddle.

Were you really fearful of this obstacle?

It was hard and I couldn't get a grip.

And then the bounce, it was harder than I thought.

But I got halfway! You got halfway.

Do you think we'll see you again next year, Linda?

I think you might. I hope so.

I'll miss you if we don't.

I'll start training, I think, this time.

Amazing. Linda, you've been an absolute star.

Ladies and gentlemen, Linda!

Well done. (CHEERING)

Good on you, Linda. What a great sport.

Now let's take a quick look at the all-important top eight.

Ben Polson is our only finisher -

he's on top, ahead of the Deadly Ninja, Jack Wilson.

The second Ninja Academy member Adam Chatfield is fourth.

Beer rep Laura Dean still in with a chance in seventh.

'Tarzan' Ryan Roberts looking shaky in eighth.

Sadly, Paul Gallen misses out.

Still ahead, Ashlin Herbert, supersonic in the heats.

This guy is a freak!

But will it be 'Flashlin' or 'Crashlin' tonight?

And next up, a shooting star.

He came from nowhere in the heats to be the second fastest on the night.

Dad Matthew has some words of advice.

If you ain't first, you're last. (LAUGHS)

He's up next - Bryson Klein.

Welcome back to Ninja Island,

where over the break three more ninjas staked their claim

for a top-eight finish and a grand final place.

Former German MMA champion Sebastian Kliesch fought the good fight

all the way to the monkey bars...

Hang on, he's hanging from one hand.

..but was down for the count not long after.

Oh!

She calls herself 'The Fox'

but Emma Wade wasn't cunning enough for the Frame Slider.

Oh!

For a little girl, she makes a big splash.

And South Australian gym owner Luke Williams

made it all the way to the hourglass.

How this guy has got any energy left is beyond me.

But like Jack Wilson, he completely missed his bounce on the tramp.

Oh! Oh!

Luke Williams!

That might be enough to take him through to the grand final.

OK, get ready, Ninja Island.

You can sense that Bryson Klein is a superstar in the making.

The young Sydneysider was the second fastest in his heat.

He feels he's now within touching distance of Mount Midoriyama.

A new hero on Australian Ninja Warrior, Bryson Klein!

My run through the heats felt good, I'm gonna say.

Oh, hello! Look at him go!

So, to be second fastest, one second behind Ben Polson,

who's one of the legends...

(BUZZER BLARES) ..like, that's amazing.

Hit that red buzzer!

Your dad was saying you were disappointed

you was a little bit slow.

My relationship with my dad, there's compassion there.

You've got the genetics, you know. You better do well.

But we show it through lack of compassion. (LAUGHS)

His biggest achievement to date

would definitely be the fact that he got a girlfriend.

Are you excited to watch me?

I'm so excited to come and watch you.

It should be fun. (LAUGHS)

We all got very surprised about that.

Hopefully all your hard work and training will pay off. (LAUGHS)

I have been working hard, thank you very much.

You can't help but love Bryson once you to get to know him.

Let's hope fame doesn't get to his head

but I really don't think it will. (LAUGHS)

How's my hair?

(CHEERING)

BEC: Have a look at his mum, dad and girlfriend on the sideline.

They are so proud that he has made the semifinal

of Australian Ninja Warrior in his first season.

Popped up from nowhere! I tell you what, this lad is one to watch.

Let's go, Bryson, let's go!

(DING)

What a moment for young Bryson Klein.

This guy really is a sensation.

MAN: Yeah! Yeah, Bryson! Come on, Bryson!

Where did he come from?

I mean, he turned up at his heat and blew everyone away.

He was only one second slower than Ben Polson.

Remember, Ben, Matt Tsang was a superstar too.

He came off right here.

FREDDIE: The Broken Pipes.

Seen a few ninjas off so far, this, tonight.

He won't want to be one of them.

MAN: Get to the middle! Come on!

His girlfriend Marla cannot watch.

OK, Bryson. He's halfway. Come on. Finish it off.

Come on, Marla. You can handle it. He'll do it.

Yes! Oh, he falls but he's through.

Good recovery, Bryson.

How will he go on the Swinging Peg Boards?

Well, we know he rock-climbs a lot with his dad

and he's won some speed-climbing titles,

so I think he's gonna do just OK.

Oh, and he's gonna do it backwards now.

Come on, Bryson!

Well, I suppose you do it

whichever way you need to do it to get through.

And he's doing this quickly -

almost 20 seconds faster than Ben Polson at this point.

(CHEERING) Come on!

The Sky Hooks.

(CHEERING)

He hits that first hook in his first attempt.

Careful, careful. Two have come off here.

Oooh! Oh, Bryson, you lucky, lucky boy.

Just rushing a little bit. Lost a little bit of momentum.

And this is costing him time, Freddie.

He's got to reset himself.

Swing! Swing! Swing! Swing! MAN: Come on.

Swing! Swing! Swing! It's a long way...

And he has done it! (CHEERING)

That's sorted, the Sky Hooks. Now his old mate, the Warped Wall.

He says to the crowd, "Come on, I might have done it before

"but I need your help to get me up there again."

And up the wall he goes! Nailed it!

Just three more obstacles to go, young Bryson.

Bryson Klein flying through the course so far.

He certainly is.

He's currently more than a minute faster than Ben Polson.

And if he can keep up this pace,

Ben Polson will get the news that his title's under threat.

There's the second rung.

Here's the third one.

Nice and smooth. Come on. Smooth. Floating Monkey Bars.

Look how confident he is. Look how...

Oh! Big miss there.

It's hard to hold on, but he steadies.

He's back on track now.

Barely out of high school, and look at him.

This kid knows what he's doing. Yeah!

Bryson Klein with just two obstacles to go.

Breathe!

He has made it this far.

But so did Jack Wilson and Luke Williams.

This trampoline bounce is so technical.

There is nothing like it in rock climbing.

Oh, my word! One-handed grip on the bar!

Through the ropes!

Now one more rope. He's on the ledge.

Bryson, top stuff.

He only just got that bar, Bec.

He just caught it with his right hand.

He's got one more obstacle - the Chimney with Rope.

Come on, Bryson! Come on!

Come on!

Oh, he's sucking in that oxygen

and he just looks at this last obstacle in the semifinal.

His time is looking really good.

BEN: Yeah, his time is fantastic. Well ahead of Ben Polson.

But does he have the stamina to get up this chimney?

Here he goes. He's up to 3m.

Hits the 4m mark. Now he's got the rope above him.

He's doing very well as far as time goes.

He's doing very well as far as endurance goes.

But does he have the strength

to get him up the final part of this rope?

Oh... Yes, he does!

The 20-year-old has just blitzed the field here on Ninja Island!

Hit the buzzer! He says, "Thank you very much!"

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

You've done it! WOMAN: You did it!

He hasn't just beaten tonight's best time,

he's smashed it by a minute 40!

Hey! That was extraordinary.

How are you doing? Oh, pretty tired, to be honest.

(LAUGHS) (LAUGHS)

How's that moment? How's it feel up there?

It's undescribable. Like nothing else, really.

Just to be climbing that rope and to know, like, "I am gonna do this.

"I am gonna make it to the top."

(CHEERING) We loved every moment of that.

Go down and see Freddie.

Top run! Top-shelf stuff!

This unassuming kid has become a giant-killer.

Bryson Klein - young, skinny but fearless.

Years of rock-climbing with his dad pays off

as he tackles each new obstacle head on.

And just watch this again.

Bryson bounced past the bar

but catches it one-handed behind his head

and then grabs the rope as casual as can be.

Pure aerial athleticism.

Welcome to the grand final, Bryson Klein.

Oh, get that. Bryson, that was incredible.

Thanks. You wanted to get through this.

In the heat, Ben Polson beat you. You beat him this time.

What has Ben Polson done to you?

He's motivated me.

We're all competing, we're all encouraging each other...

Encouraging each other. (LAUGHS)

And how much more have you got left inside?

Oh, all that it takes.

About 22m, is it? I've got about that much in me.

So you've got your eye on Mount Midoriyama already?

Man, if I didn't, I wouldn't be here.

Oh, top lad. Are the family gonna come and join him?

Come on. Your dad's not got your speed, has he?

(LAUGHS) Come on, come and see him.

Dad, you say he's got your genetics. Yeah.

How far can your young man go in this tournament?

I'm pretty sure he's got the skills to go all the way.

It's just putting it together on the night.

Yeah. Ladies and gentlemen, Bryson Klein!

(CHEERING)

BEC: Well, that's the man with the infectious laugh.

Wasn't that extraordinary? Bryson Klein, what a champ.

Looking at the leader board,

competition for the top eight places is fierce.

Bryson was a second slower than Ben in the heats.

Now he's a minute 40 faster.

Jack Wilson sits in fourth.

Ninja Academy's Adam Chatfield drops to seventh.

But sadly, Espen Hjalmby, Laura Dean

and 'Tarzan' Ryan Roberts have missed out.

Still to come tonight, Olivia Vivian is looking to make history again.

I'm really excited to get out there and just do my thing

and enjoy the moment and get through it.

Can she be the first woman through to the grand final?

And out in the warm-up area, ready to run next, Ashlin Herbert.

We know he's a speed machine but can he last the distance on this course?

He's the man with the fro, Ashlin Herbert.

And a whole lot more shocks, surprises and sensational runs

when the semifinals continue on Australian Ninja Warrior.

Welcome back to Ninja Island.

Only two ninjas have completed the course tonight.

But the smart money says we're about to see a third.

We have been waiting for this guy.

He is the big-haired and big-hearted ninja Ashlin Herbert.

He had the fastest time in the heats

and is ready to go even faster in the semis.

Blink and you might just miss him.

Ashlin Herbert!

Toughest competitor?

Definitely Ashlin. Ashlin.

Ashlin. The guy with the curly hair.

BEC: Ninjas, beware, Ashlin Herbert is back!

He's got speed. The boy is called 'Flashlin'.

I can't keep up with him.

WOMAN: Like, he completed the heats in, like, 40 seconds.

I feel like that is not human.

So that was the fastest? WOMAN: Yeah.

Oh, cool. That's good. Alright.

From doing it last year, the semis get harder.

Just one slip that you're off, so, yeah, try and slow it down a bit.

FREDDIE: The fastest in the heats. Third in the competition last year.

But tonight, speed is not of the essence.

No need to rush. Just complete the course.

Come on, Ash! You can do it!

BEN: That's Kelsey Lee, his girlfriend, on the sideline.

Whoo! (DING)

OK.

Fastest time till now is Bryson Klein's four minute, 33 seconds.

How close can he get?

Now the Frame Slider.

FREDDIE: Wedges himself in.

Look at that. It just looks so easy. Nice and easy.

Straight onto the Broken Pipes.

Can't keep up with him. He's going quick.

Oh, my word.

Through the Broken Pipe in the blink of an eye.

Slows down a bit now for a look at the Swinging Peg Boards.

We know how tough this one is.

You cannot rush. You need to think your way through.

WOMAN: That's it! OK.

He's up onto the first peg.

And onto the second.

And now he needs to work out where he wants to move them to.

Well, he's going right to the end, Ben. He always looks so calm.

Swing it! Now the transfer across...

Yeah! He's on.

The backhand to the last peg.

Not bothering to move them. And he's through!

And look at the clock.

He is 30 seconds faster than Bryson to the Sky Hooks.

He's onto the second one already. He's not hanging around.

I think this lad only knows one way. The only way he knows he is quick.

He is blitzing this course!

And now the Warped Wall, straight up!

He did not even take a breath.

You got this!

Ashlin Herbert just carving this course up.

He's by far the quickest so far.

You know, at the moment, he's about a minute faster

than the fastest of the night so far, Bryson Klein.

So, Ashlin Herbert, one of the most likely to scale Mount Midoriyama.

Now, look out.

Both Ben and Bryson missed the placement on a bar through here,

but Ashlin, oh, he looks like he's got it covered.

Does he ever!

(CHEERING) Nice!

You're so close!

He's up to the Hourglass, Trampoline to Rope.

But we saw Jack Wilson went out at this point.

It's not just about speed, it's not just about skill.

It's about concentration, hitting that trampoline on the right mark.

Bounces... Up he goes. Oh, my word.

This is an exhibition. Absolute exhibition.

Perfectly done.

He didn't take his eyes off where he was going

and that, I think, is the aim of the game.

Just looking at the clock,

he's about two minutes faster than Bryson Klein,

so 'Flashlin' Ashlin, the fastest of the night so far.

And he's 2m up the chimney climb.

Now he's 4m up. There's the rope.

It's just on his back. He's having trouble finding it.

He's got it. WOMAN: Yes, Ash!

Yes!

And Ashlin Herbert,

who was one of the stars of season one of Ninja Warrior...

Oh! ..has just confirmed...

Ashlin! ..he's in the grand final.

(BUZZER BLARES) And look at the time!

Two minutes 50! Unbelievable!

There he goes.

He's just taken a quick glance up to Mount Midoriyama.

Because that is within reach.

Are you puffed? Oh, yeah, a little bit.

That was a good course.

Every other ninja has said, "That is so challenging."

How did you find that course tonight?

Yeah, it was taxing on the forearms, for sure.

Ashlin Herbert has recorded the fastest time of the night.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

'Flashlin' Ashlin Herbert has blown the semifinals away.

There are so many difficult obstacles on this course,

but look how calm he is as he negotiates them all.

The Peg Board, that massive lache on the Sky Hooks and the trampoline -

the bounce needs to be millimetre-perfect and he nailed it,

completing this course in just two minutes 50.

Ashlin, you've just got through the course two minutes faster

than anybody else so far tonight.

Just let us know,

what is going through your mind as you attack the course?

No, really not much at all.

Just let my body do the talking. Yeah.

But did you think you'd be able to breeze through it

as fast as you could?

Uh... I don't know.

I just... just did it. (LAUGHS)

Ashlin Herbert, ladies and gentlemen!

(CHEERING) Thank you!

If you want to know how good Ashlin is, look at the leader board.

He's on top.

A minute 40 ahead of Bryson Klein,

who's another minute 40 ahead of Ben Polson.

The real worry, though, is for Perth Ninja Academy's Adam Chatfield.

He's sitting in eighth place

and with one ninja to come could be knocked out.

That's right, Bec. And what a ninja. She's warming up now. Olivia Vivian.

She trains with Adam

but has set herself the goal of being the first woman into the grand final.

Can she do it? We'll find out next.

Welcome back to Ninja Island.

Just three ninjas have managed to complete

this torturous semifinal course so far -

Ashlin Herbert, Bryson Klein and Ben Polson.

There's just one ninja left to run and she has history on her mind.

She is an absolute superstar.

She demolished the course in the heats

and was the first woman this season to conquer the Warped Wall.

And now she wants to be the first woman in the grand final.

It is Olivia Vivian.

Yes, she hits it and holds it! What an athlete!

I couldn't believe with your hand off, waving to the crowd...

Are you serious?

I'm so proud of Olivia

because when she sets goals, it's, "Get out of my way.

"I'm going. And I'm going to achieve those."

I was more nervous for that particular heat run

than the Olympic Games.

Just the pressure from the whole last year of getting up that wall.

Here she goes for a second attempt!

Yes! HOSTS: And she's got it!

So when I felt my hand have a good grip, I knew I'd done it.

Hold on! What? What? What? (SQUEALS)

And then I celebrated as hard as I could.

Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!

CROWS MEMBERS: Oi! Oi! Oi!

I think that's what my dad would have done, something goofy,

so I try and carry that on.

I had a goal, to get up the Warped Wall.

I had a goal to hit a buzzer.

And now I've got a new goal.

I want to be the first female up in that grand final.

Both Olivia's Ninja Academy training partners are in the top eight.

Ben Polson there, sitting third.

But Olivia could knock out Adam Chatfield, who's in eighth place.

Tough game, Ninja Warrior.

(DING) (CHEERING)

The video of Olivia Vivian backflipping up onto the Warped Wall

not only went viral around Australia, it went right around the world.

And here she is on Ninja Island now, on obstacle number two.

I have watched it 50 times.

We couldn't believe what we witnessed.

It's never been done before in this competition.

But right now she needs to focus on this semifinal run.

And the Broken Pipes are in front of her.

You've got to concentrate here, Olivia Vivian.

Oh!

Oh, there's a bit of a slip and fall. She recovers!

She pulls herself up. Oh, that was close.

You can see she's a bit rattled.

Still, the second pipe to negotiate.

Here she goes. She is through.

And around the corner.

Olivia Vivian composes herself,

looks up at this next daunting obstacle.

FREDDIE: Now the Swinging Peg Board.

MAN: Nice work, Liv!

And she said when she signed up this year, she said,

"Look, I want to prove that women can do exactly the same, if not more,

"than what the men are doing and..."

Uh-huh. She's proving just that in her own style.

That's it. Backwards on the Warped Wall.

And now she is backwards on the Swinging Peg Boards.

Yeah!

(CHEERING) Yeah!

She's so strong overhead. And that's the gymnastics training.

And no one-handed waves to the crowd or the commentators tonight.

She's taking this seriously.

Well done, Olivia.

Now the Sky Hooks.

This is where Adam Chatfield came off.

If Olivia completes this obstacle, she is through to the grand final.

It's all become very real for this young lady now.

Onto the Sky Hooks.

Needs to get that ring onto the hook.

Misses first time.

That's it. Come on.

Coming back for a second attempt.

Misses second time.

Really struggling here.

Oh, yes, Olivia Vivian!

She just digs deep every time and finds something else.

That's her competitive nature.

This is a key moment here, Bec. This is a big gap.

The crowd behind her.

Up and over. Up and over.

She needs to make this.

Starts kicking the knees. Starts flipping up the ankles.

Come on, Olivia.

Oh, she's made it! And, yes, she makes the landing!

She's made it! This woman is phenomenal!

Wow! (CHEERING)

And while her run is not over,

she's just created history because she's gone past Adam Chatfield.

That means Olivia Vivian is the first Australian woman

to make a grand final.

Now up the Warped Wall.

Oh, she's turned around to flip again!

What are you doing to us? This woman is out of this world!

Olivia, you've got three more obstacles to go.

You've got to conserve your energy.

But, hey, don't take it from me. Whatever you're doing is working.

(CHEERING)

The Salmon Ladder. Now, this is gonna test her.

She's done the reverse grip on one hand

and she's just going to attempt to move that bar up.

Doesn't matter how you do it.

Just get up there onto them Floating Monkey Bars, Olivia.

One more. Whoo!

I suppose when you're used to backflipping up the Warped Wall,

well, you're not gonna follow the conventional route.

Come on, babe.

But the last two obstacles before the Warped Wall

have burnt up a lot of her upper-body strength.

This woman is blowing us away.

This is one of the finest athletes in Australia

who has taken on this Ninja Warrior course.

Oh! And she's landed!

Oh, my goodness! (LAUGHS)

Oh, that puts Olivia into sixth place, ahead of Sebastian Kliesch.

Could she be the first woman to complete the semifinal course?

First up, the Hourglass to Tramp to Rope.

I wonder how those arms are doing, as she gets onto the hourglass.

She's working her way nicely across the hourglass.

No problem to this point.

Now she's gonna hit this tramp.

This is... Oh!

She was so close!

But Olivia Vivian ends up in the pool.

Bec, she was with... an inch of that rope.

So, so close!

Wow. That was something to behold.

That was something to be part of here on Ninja Island.

And something to be proud of from Olivia's point of view.

Another history-making performance. The first woman in the grand final.

Olivia, the first girl into the final of Australian Ninja Warrior.

Did you think you would get that far?

Honestly, no, I was very worried. It is a very tough course.

I have so much respect for all these obstacles.

I really do put a lot into this.

And being in the finals is obviously a dream.

You know, I love Ninja Warrior.

Ladies and gentlemen, Olivia Vivian!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

That brings us to the end of our first semifinal

for Australian Ninja Warrior 2018.

And what a night it's been.

We promised a tougher course and we certainly delivered.

But who made it through to the grand final?

Let's check tonight's leader board.

Here are our grand finalists.

Ashlin Herbert leading the charge at two minutes 50,

from Bryson Klein and Ben Polson.

Olivia Vivian's history-making run puts her in sixth place,

with Mr Ninja, Patrick Teylan, coming in last spot.

No luck for Adam Chatfield - just one place away from the grand final.

It's no surprise that the Performance of the Night

is the man with the fro, Ashlin Herbert.

It was 'Flashlin' first, fresh air second

as he completed the semifinal course

a minute 40 ahead of his nearest competition.

Tomorrow night, semifinal two

and the competition just gets tougher.

30 more of Australia's best ninjas battle a new course

for just eight more grand final places.

See you soon, Mount Midoriyama.

'The Robot Warrior', Rob Patterson,

is as close as they come to perfection on the course.

ROB: Adrenaline just takes over.

And another Warped Wall-conquering female ninja, Georgia Bonora.

GEORGIA: I want to prove that I belong here.

Plus, Alex 'The Mo' Matthews is back,

along with star newcomers, James Sayers, who calls himself 'Twitch',

and 'The Furvinator', all 58 kilos of him,

as well as the last remaining parkour twin, Brodie Pawson,

and the biggest name of all, Andrea Hah.

Can she join Olivia Vivian in the grand final...

ANDREA: You just have to believe in yourself and give it everything.

..as the epic semifinals continue

tomorrow night on Australian Ninja Warrior.

Well, we've got another strong line-up tomorrow night.

Andrea Hah and Georgia Bonora, they've both made it up the wall.

They're set to do it again.

We've also got Tom O'Halloran, Brodie Pawson, James Sayers

and plenty more.

Yeah, new obstacles will challenge them on the semifinal course.

Set your clocks for 7:30 tomorrow night Ninja Island time.

Until then, goodnight. Goodnight.