Original subtitles

(CHEERING)

LEILA: As the ninja phenomenon heats up...

He is powering through this course.

..2022 is proving to be a battle between the old ninjas...

That was extraordinary!

..and the new.

JIM: That was Ash on the smash!

He's 16 years old!

But last night the teens couldn't make their mark...

I am so impressed with this kid. Oh, no!

I jinxed him.

..as last season's new sensations...

That's some ninja magic on display right there.

..gave them a masterclass on the course.

Alright! Whoo!

But they just couldn't compete with experience...

He has smashed this course.

..when legend Bryson Klein was fastest up the Wall

and dominated the Power Pool.

This is unbelievable!

(CHEERING)

New teens prove they have what it takes...

I'm 16, I love being the smallest ninja on the course.

..as they unleash on new obstacles.

This may not be a basketball court

but I'm still gonna slam dunk the course.

They face their heroes...

You'd better watch out,

the Ninja Mums might put you in the naughty corner.

(LAUGHS)

..and their greatest foes...

..the teachers.

I've done the numbers and this course is about to get schooled.

But when teens attack...

Watch out ninja legends, I'm coming for you.

..can some of the biggest names in ninja...

Nothing's gonna stop me from going for Mount Midoriyama.

..fight back?

This is my game.

I'll be bringing the fire tonight.

Let's go.

(CHEERING)

(MOMENTOUS MUSIC)

JIM: Hello

and welcome to another huge night of Australian Ninja Warrior.

I'm Jim Courier.

And I'm Leila McKinnon.

And we are coming to you from Sydney Olympic Park,

home to the fastest obstacle course ever created.

If you like your action at warped speed,

you've come to the right place.

And tonight we have a mega line-up

with new teens ready to take on the course.

That's right, Jim.

These 16 and 17-year-olds have grown up with ninja in their blood.

But last night not a single teen hit a buzzer.

I'd love to see one get up there tonight.

(BUZZER)

Tonight's superfast course is packed with some familiar obstacles

and a few new surprises.

Once again we start with the Shrinking Steps,

the Candy Cane Rush,

and the Domino Effect.

Then the fearsome Anaconda.

The fastest way across

this treacherous obstacle

is by lacheing

but only the bravest and most skilled dare try.

For everyone else, it's a gruelling slog across 27 doorknobs,

and almost half the ninjas who attempt this obstacle fail.

Then it's the Flying Shelf Grab to Corkscrew.

A real ninja killer last season.

The Corkscrew plunges and spins, challenging hand and arm strength.

Lacheing from here is an uphill battle

with the 2.5cm ledge a huge test of fingertip strength.

If ninjas survive all that, it's on to the iconic Warped Wall.

4.35m high.

And at the top of the Warped Wall, the buzzer awaits.

As always, our top 18 ninjas

will make it through

to the semi-finals

so it's go fast or go home.

And one ninja's journey will be made just that little bit easier

with a huge advantage up for grabs in the Power Pool.

OK. The ninjas are raring to go.

The atmosphere in the crowd is electric.

The scene is set.

So let's bring out our first ninja of the night.

Mount Midoriyama! Whoo-hoo!

He's pumped up, that's for sure.

(DRUMS BEAT RHYTHMICALLY)

Whoa!

(CHEERING)

Isn't that fantastic?

Emmanuel celebrating his Polynesian heritage here on the ninja stage.

Hey!

My name is Emmanuel Carlos. I'm 29 years old.

And I'm from a proud family of Polynesians.

Yay! Ooh!

This is my father Andre from Samoa.

And this is my mother Na'oa from the Cook Islands.

And I just found out that I'm gonna be a dad.

(CHEERING)

I've never been so happy, so proud of myself.

I'm really excited.

I'm a professional boxer.

I'm currently ranked number three in Australia

but the sky's the limit.

And I just can't wait to see where it can take me in the future.

The main thing is you've just gotta keep moving forward

and there's more to life than boxing.

And now, now I'm pinching myself that I'm on Ninja Warrior.

I just can't believe it, you know what I mean?

Winning the title of Ninja Warrior

and going home with that cash prize,

the amount of nappies I can buy, oh!

Life-changing.

Mount Midoriyama, I'm gonna give you a left and a right

and that's a goodnight.

Whoo-hoo!

Emanuel Carlos, first time on the course.

Got a huge family down there all decked out in their kit.

I love this bloke's energy.

A champion boxer. He'll be fast on his feet.

Multitalented, multifaceted.

Has his boxing mouthguard in.

I think that might have his fiancee's name on it, Nicky.

Let's see. Yeah, it does. There it is.

And there's Nicky in the big screen.

Here we go. The E-Man, Emmanuel Carlos taking on

the Ninja Warrior course 2022.

Let's go!

First challenge, the Shrinking Steps.

(STARTER BELL)

Precise foot placement is the key here.

Oh, he's floating like a butterfly.

Oh, no!

You've got to remember, these are

called the Shrinking Steps for good reason.

They start at 25cm wide but the last one, just 15cm.

If you get off centre,

you are gonna slip and slide off

and that's exactly what happened to the E-Man unfortunately.

(APPLAUSE)

E-Man. Hey, man, we're attacking you from both sides here.

Oh, babe, I love you. I'm sorry I didn't get it but maybe next time.

That dance, we saw it up on the stage.

We're gonna have to get it down here in person, though.

It was pretty red hot. Only if you join me, brother.

Yet, I'll join you, brother. We got you. What are we doing?

(DRUMS BEAT RHYTHMICALLY) Whoo!

(CHEERING)

Round of applause for E-Man, everybody!

(CHEERING)

Next up, from a proud dad to be to a proud ninja mum.

Now it's the turn of Adelaide nurse and mother of three, Katrina Bean.

My ninja nickname is not a solo ninja nickname.

Nicole, my training buddy and I, are Ninja Mums.

This is my Ninja Mum friend Nicole Chamberlain.

She is 43, much older than I am.

And she's a gun.

Between us, we have six kids, and we are combined age of 80 plus.

Yes.

We don't feel 40. We don't feel our age.

No, absolutely not.

I'm here to mix it with those 20-year-olds.

Ooh!

Are you OK? Yeah, I'm fine.

Tonight on course

Nicole and I just want to show that as older women who are mums

we can be here and we can compete against the 16-year-old guys

that are my kids' age.

So, watch out for us.

(CHEERING)

The Ninja Mums.

Cheering each other on.

Showing middle-aged mums like me what can

be done with a bit of determination and a lot of hard work.

To be honest, Woods, I feel like the Ninja course

is really a bit of a walk in the park for her.

She actually rode her bike in labour

to the hospital to the birth of one of her kids.

That is wild. Yeah, that's right.

Hopefully she doesn't break the water tonight.

(LAUGHS) Oh, wow. What!

This is one tough ninja mum.

(STARTER BELL)

And here we go. Katrina Bean.

Obstacle one, the Shrinking Steps.

Dainty feet. And across.

She tiptoed through those steps like they were tulips, Jim.

And that's a tidy start. Alright, on to the Candy Cane Rush.

Up she goes. Go!

No! Oh!

She got the blowback. She went too far.

Did not release quickly enough.

That's a timing issue, isn't it? It was.

And the Ninja Mums will take a seat. That was a splashdown.

And the Candy Cane Rush claims a victim.

No problem on take-off but she holds onto the handles too long.

Gets good height but no distance to the saddle.

And with her body horizontal,

she was never going to make the catch from there.

Oh, you did so well.

There's Katrina getting a hug from

the other Ninja Mum Nicole Chamberlain.

And Nicole will get her chance on the course later tonight.

Come on, the Ninja Mums.

And as one of the more mature ninjas leaves the arena,

Will and Woody are in the warm-up area with a bunch of the new breed.

It's attack of the teens on Ninja Warrior tonight

as you can see by the teenagers here.

Although I'm a little bit suss on Ben standing next to me.

Ben, gotta be honest, mate, you don't look a lot like a teenager.

Did they check your ID when you came in?

Yeah, they did. Well, how old are you, mate?

17 years old.

You've got more facial hair than Woody.

We've got Daniel on the end here.

Daniel, tonight, are you gonna make it to the Warped Wall do you think?

Oh, I'll give it my best.

I'll just send it, eh.

Bloody love it. Send it.

Teenagers are absolutely sending it.

Look at them tonight.

We've got Ben here, as well, the other Ben.

Now Ben, you forgot your shirt tonight.

'Cause I don't have a body like you, mate.

Oh, he's quick. Gee.

They're here, they're quick, they're snappy, and they're bloody talented.

They're coming for you.

The teens on Australian Ninja Warrior.

They are certainly quick and full of confidence

but don't forget,

this is the toughest obstacle course in the world.

How do you think they'll go?

Well, we're about to find out 'cause here comes one of those teens now.

And at just 45kg he's the smallest ninja ever to take the course.

It's the Bin Chicken ninja, John Sterio.

I'm John Sterio

and you can call me the Bin Chicken ninja.

(SCREECHES)

I love the bin chicken, aka the Ibis,

'cause they walk around, they clean up, just like me.

Yeah, a good bird, I love it.

I'm the Bin Chicken ninja because I take

cans down to Containers for Change for 10 cents a can.

And I just love cleaning up the environment

and doing my part by recycling cans.

I love being the smallest ninja on the course.

I'm very excited to show Australia what I've got.

I'm gonna show every ninja what I'm made of.

I'm the Bin Chicken ninja and I'm gonna clean up the course.

(CHEERING)

Here he is, the Bin Chicken himself.

He's only 45kg

but geez I'm onboard with this bloke.

I love the Bin Chicken. Come on!

Look at how young he is.

He's our smallest ninja ever.

He's a full foot shorter than Ben Polson

and less than half the weight of big Eloni.

Yes. Some of the long laches could be a big ask for such a small ninja

but it also means he's super light.

And if he's got the power to match with it,

he could be super quick across this course, as well.

(STARTER BELL SOUNDS)

And his up and running. Let see if he can run all the way.

Eight steps, go! Yes.

A bit of a wobble but he gets there.

I want this kid to make it.

The Bin Chicken. Come on.

The Candy Cane Rush, can he be the first to beat this obstacle?

He's gonna take a run up here.

He's only 160cm tall.

He'll need some bounce to reach that handle.

Up he goes and down the Candy Cane.

Nicely done.

Great stuff from the 16-year-old from Queensland.

The teens are on the attack.

That's the hardest one.

His family there impressed with that start.

They believe he can go all the way here.

But first he'll need to get his way across the Domino Effect.

He is light, that is to his benefit.

Is he fast? Go.

Yes!

Wow, light as a feather across the dominoes.

What a breeze.

And that was perfect. The Bin Chicken is cleaning up this course.

And now we have a battle.

It's the Anaconda versus the Bin Chicken.

He says stamina is one of his strengths. This will test him.

And up he goes.

Just 45kg though.

Not a lot to carry on the Anaconda

but these doorknobs are a real grip killer.

And there's 27 of them.

Ahh, the shortcut.

He's abandoned the knobs and he's going for that 3m lache.

A huge play from a small ninja.

This will be impressive.

Here's the question, can this Bin Chicken fly?

No! Oh! Just missed.

The Anaconda strikes.

But look at that triumphant wave in the air.

Give it up for John Sterio. What a debut.

And sending a message to all of these veterans.

He showed poise and control across the obstacles

before facing the Anaconda.

He looked to tire on the doorknobs

before attempting that 3m lache.

That's a leap almost twice as far as he is tall.

It was always gonna be a really tough assignment.

It's worth noting that last night

just making it to the Anaconda meant making the semis.

So the Bin Chicken is still in the game.

He's down with Woody.

The Bin Chicken. Mate, congratulations.

Did you enjoy it? Yeah, that was so exciting.

First time.

That reach was just a bit further than what I thought so

probably should have done it safe

but yeah, I did my best job and I loved it.

So fun out there. You know what, Bin Chicken?

Mate, I love that you went for it though.

You're 16 years old, you're not very tall.

You're 45kg, you're 5m in the air

and you just backed yourself, didn't you?

Yeah. I just gave it all I've got.

Do you have a message for the veterans?

Oh, just watch out, we're coming for you.

Oh, the Bin Chicken.

Put your hands together for him.

Indeed. These teens are coming

and they have the more experienced ninjas looking over their shoulders.

There is no doubt.

Time for a break but don't go anywhere,

there's plenty of Ninja spills and thrills still to come.

The teen attack builds momentum

but can they get past the ninja legends?

Olivia Vivian!

I know that they're coming for us.

The battle is on for a shot at that Power Pool

and the crucial semi-final advantage.

All coming up right here on Australian Ninja Warrior.

LEILA: You're back with Australian Ninja Warrior

and the world's toughest obstacle course.

JIM: The teens are definitely on the march,

on the move after a solid ninja debut from 16-year-old John Sterio.

But they certainly won't have it all their own way because

tonight they'll face a new obstacle, every teen's nightmare, teachers.

(SCHOOL BELL RINGS)

Yep, draw the wall.

That's looking good there.

My name's Warwick Draper.

I'm a 45-year-old maths teacher from Melbourne.

I've been using Ninja Warrior obstacles, actually,

to help teach maths in the classroom.

Theoretically, we should all be able to run up the Warped Wall.

Kids absolutely love Ninja Warrior

and anything to motivate them to do maths more is obviously great.

Let's go, Mr Draper. ALL: Yeah!

Using maths actually gives me a little bit of an edge.

If I analyse the obstacles using equations,

I can often find an efficient way through.

I'm trying really hard to make maths cool, that's right, yeah.

I'm extremely competitive when you give me a problem to solve.

I've done the numbers and this course is about to get schooled.

(SCHOOL BELL RINGS)

(CHEERING)

It's the teens versus the teachers.

Let's see what Warwick can bring.

Excuse me, Mr Draper. Mr Draper.

Pardon me. Sir.

It looks like he's gonna do this

dressed for second period maths class.

(LAUGHTER)

And the tie comes off.

He means business.

He'll be used to hearing the bell ring, that's for sure.

He's ready to go. (CHEERING)

(STARTER BELL SOUNDS) Here we go. Mr Draper. Come on, sir.

Let's head across those steps. Yes.

Up to eight, no problem.

Straight onto the Candy Cane Rush

and straight across it.

In great position to make that catch.

And well landed.

On to the next test, the Domino Effect.

Come on. Across the dominoes.

Yes. Whoa! This guy's a teacher?

The flying teacher.

He dresses like one but certainly doesn't ninja like one.

I just can't believe he's doing it in his teacher clothes.

I did not see this coming.

The Anaconda will test him though.

It's a probability challenge.

27 doorknobs or the lache bars.

Which one gives him the most likely chance of success?

He's backing his strength here but this gap is a test.

Ooh!

Bit of a miscalculation but that's a great recovery.

Now he's going for the lache.

He's thinking his way through this course.

Come on, Mr Draper.

No! Oh!

That Anaconda will get you every time.

I think the kids in the classroom enjoyed seeing that bog splash out.

(LAUGHS)

Let's take another look at Mr Draper because he was on fire.

He's got some serious core strength and was strong on the Anaconda.

But keep an eye on his left foot.

He clips one of the doorknobs mid-flight

and that didn't help him at all.

That was one variable he didn't factor into the equation.

You were killing it out there, mate. You absolutely smoked it.

I've never seen anyone go and do it in a full suit like this before.

Did that hamper your run at all? No, I don't think so.

I was quite comfortable out there.

But I actually hit one of the doorknobs.

My calculations didn't account for that.

Got a message for the kids?

Yes. Stay in school. (LAUGHTER)

Well said, mate.

I hope we see you in the semis. Yeah, thanks a lot. Cheers.

So, with both Mr Draper and John Sterio getting to the Anaconda,

it's a fascinating battle here between the teachers and the teens.

Maybe our next teen can break the deadlock.

He's a 16-year-old basketball prodigy

from the Central Coast of NSW.

Here he is, it's Benjamin Lewis.

Hi. My name's Ben.

I live in my boardies

and I pretty much play basketball every day, all day.

He comes home most days after school

and plays basketball until his hands are sore.

Everything's fair in the game. Oh!

The loudest person in the crowd is definitely Dad.

Can't drive in the wet.

He tries to give me tips on stuff that he doesn't know how to do.

Oh!

That's kinda how it works.

It may not be a basketball court

but I'm still gonna slam dunk the course.

(CHEERING)

This is 16-year-old Ben Lewis.

He thinks Sylvester Stallone would play him in a movie.

Maybe Owen Wilson.

(LAUGHTER)

Maybe.

He's got his family on the sideline

and he says his dad is his loudest fan.

Another one of our teens.

No doubt he'll bring speed and fearlessness.

But how's it gonna stack up against

the strength and the power of our full-grown ninjas?

We'll soon find out.

We'll see if he's got some fast feet to get started here.

(STARTER BELL SOUNDS) Alright. Here we go.

Benjamin Lewis. Let's see what you've got.

Obstacle one, the Shrinking Steps.

And he heads straight up to the Candy Cane Rush

with a great deal of confidence.

He sure does.

And there is no fear in this kid early.

He's looking like a veteran out here.

But let's not forget,

he's never seen these obstacles anywhere but on TV.

And now comes the Domino Effect.

We've seen some ninjas lunge with success to get to that last one.

He waltzed over that. He did, didn't he?

This basketball kid is really going for it.

He is lighting this course on fire.

But can he get past the Anaconda?

It's been destroying ninjas this season.

He'll be the first ninja tonight if he can.

Oh, he's going the lache.

This is a big risk.

This is where we lost Warwick and the Bin Chicken.

But he nailed it.

Dad's loving these moves.

This is impressive. Can this kid do it? Come on!

One more. Oh, my gosh.

Yes! He almost leapt over that one.

That was amazing.

Right, get clean.

The kid's just 16 years old

and he's gone further than anybody so far tonight.

You can hear his dad... Well done!

..on the sideline, "Keep it clean." I don't even know what that means.

Have we been hoodwinked?

This guy's a first-time ninja. He looks like an absolute force.

Let's see if he can get past this Flying Shelf Grab to Corkscrew.

Not easy.

But the way that he got through that Anaconda, Leila,

he didn't burn out a lot of energy.

Yeah. That's good, Jim, because he'll need it here.

There are three tricky catches to make.

One onto the first shelf, just 2.5cm to hold onto.

Then the corkscrew that spins and drops.

And another shelf grab.

This is the first shelf.

Yes! Nicely done.

He did that perfectly. Didn't go too hard at it.

And now to the Corkscrew. He has to hold on tight.

That was exceptional. What are we seeing?

Showing superstrength there.

This is a tough one.

You've got to go back up 0.5m to get to the next shelf.

Get up there!

His proud dad yelling advice there from the sidelines.

I'm worried.

I shouldn't have been worried. He handled it.

Don't doubt him, he's got this, Jim. He's gonna do it.

He's coming up the Wall, Jim.

And here he comes.

A little twist at the end.

We've found one here. We have found one.

Get up that Wall, big boy!

Remember this name, Ben Lewis. He's a new superstar.

Come on. Beat the Wall, Benny.

Be the first tonight.

You've got three chances.

CROWD (CHANTING): Beat the Wall!

Straight up. Oh.

Attempt one. OK.

One chance down, two more to go.

He needs to get up into that logo.

He's got to go a little deeper into the Wall

before he starts his big drive up.

CROWD (CHANTING): Beat the Wall!

You don't wanna go faster.

You've got to wait and then hit it quick right here.

Oh, so close.

4.35m.

One more chance. It's coming down to the wire.

You need to have an element of blind faith. That's the scary bit.

I feel like he's battling with that mental game right now.

Yes. Come on, Ben.

We want the icing on the cake. This has been a great run.

Last try at the Wall.

Yes! Come on, baby!

He's beaten the Wall. Yes!

(CHEERING)

How about that for a debut?

Sixteen years old and we have an up-and-coming ninja superstar.

That is exactly

what this season of Australian Ninja Warrior has been about.

These teens, they are fearless, they are fit,

and they are ready to take on the legends of Ninja.

Ben was unbelievably cool the whole way through the course.

He was controlled

and didn't go faster than he needed to which is smart.

It took him three goes to get up that Wall

but he got there in the end.

A super effort.

Benny, mate. Get around us, family. Get around us, Lewis family.

Come on. Huddle in.

Benny, wow!

How are you so good?

A lot of push-ups.

Just a couple of push-ups. How modest is this guy?

We've got Dad here.

Dad, you were yelling some support on the sidelines there.

What were you saying to him?

Oh, hopefully nothing that he'd ever listen to.

I heard you say, "Keep it clean" at some stage.

Oh yeah, probably.

What was that in reference to?

Keep it clean, keep it fast. Fast, clean.

I've got no idea what I'm doing. (LAUGHTER)

OK. You haven't learnt anything from Dad.

Do you have a message to the ninja legends out there?

The young'uns are coming.

Ahh, the young'uns are coming.

He's quietly spoken but he is very good on the course.

Ben Lewis, everyone!

Great job, mate.

You heard it here first - "The young'uns are coming."

Indeed they are. Alright. Time for a break.

Coming up, teens versus teachers. The war continues.

A teacher with a secret weapon.

Koa's been in my life for 1.5 years now.

She's my service animal

because I have ADHD.

She reminds me I am capable to do anything.

It would be a massive advantage for my game.

Plus a student with some serious skills.

Then later, the big guns take aim. Can they shoot down the teens?

They're young whippersnappers.

I wouldn't say I'm worried but let's go.

Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior

where the battle between the teens and the teachers rages on.

17-year-old Ben Hunt dodged fate at the Domino Effect.

Oh! Stay out of the water!

He saved it. He bloody saved it.

He saved it! Unbelievable.

The lanky 190cm teen recovered

before trying the lache of the Anaconda...

It's a risky move but it's quicker.

..where he came up short.

Oh! Went down on the grip.

Next, English teacher Nathan Burley.

He's been here before.

And it showed as he crossed the course with class...

He gave it a burl and he is across.

..before he too failed the test at the Anaconda.

Big lache. Can't get there. Missed the lache.

He didn't have a problem in the world until he missed that grip.

Kai Somers is a school student who excels in maths and science.

Oh, Ninja Kai. He's got it.

Tonight he got a crash course in 'ninjaology' at the Domino Effect...

Oh!

..getting a lesson in velocity, impact, and gravity.

Oh, no.

Eugh!

On course now is a passionate primary school teacher

with a secret weapon, her beloved pet Pomeranian, Koa.

This is Jessica Ann Meyer.

(CHEERING)

And there's Jess's mum Laura with Koa, Jess's support dog.

Aw, what a cutie.

How are you feeling, Jess? Oh, mate, feeling good.

Give me some skin. Come on, Jess.

(KOA BARKS) Oh, big reaction there from Koa.

Be careful, Woody, she's very protective of her owner.

And she's trained to react when Jess is stressed.

Let's see how she goes when Jessica's on the course.

Well, she looks a little nervous, Leila.

(STARTER BELL SOUNDS) And there's the buzzer.

It's the Shrinking Steps. A tough first obstacle.

But the teacher from Brisbane nailed it.

Nothing to worry about there. (KOA BARKS)

Come on, Jessica. She handled that with ease.

A nice little smile on her face.

A nice little exhale, a sigh of relief.

And now it's back to battle with the Candy Cane Rush.

And look at Koa there providing support.

This is all about timing the release.

Oh, no! She's hung on a bit too long.

She's in the water.

That's alright. Whoo!

It was all looking so good.

She got right onto the Candy Cane Rush.

She had the legs... Oh, Koa!

I think what Koa is trying to say is, "You held on too long."

On the Candy Can Rush, timing is everything.

Jess's legs flick her up not over.

There was no coming back from that.

So, yet another teacher has left her mark on the course.

And now the teens get to return serve.

Can our next ninja give them the advantage?

From Perth it's 16-year-old student Daniel Watermann.

I'll just send it and see how goes.

Just send it? Yeah. Oh. Oh, yeah.

I'm Daniel Watermann.

I'm 16 years old and I'm the hobby king.

Some of my hobbies include skateboarding,

wake boarding,

spearfishing, bit of surfing,

acrobatics, gymnastics, parkour,

and unicycling.

It's hard to remember them all.

I also play five different types of instruments at once.

I think that's quite cool.

When I found out I was on Ninja Warrior, I was just over the moon.

Like, went from zero to up here.

I think the phrase 'Send it' is so important to ninjas

because that's literally what you have to do on the course.

You have to just get on with it,

just put your foot in front of the other one and just, yeah, send it.

(CHEERING)

This is Daniel Watermann.

If the T-shirt's anything to go by he's gonna send it.

Well, he's known as the Send It ninja.

About to send a message here to the veterans

like some of his other fellow teens.

And speaking of that, we're gonna

send it out to Perth where he's from.

Got his family up on the big screen.

Say hello to Daniel, everybody.

(CHEERING) Hey, Dan. Send it!

Megan, your boy's halfway, well, all the way across the country.

How do you feel about him heading over here tonight

and tackling the course?

Oh, I'm really excited for him. Hello!

Fantastic.

Well, we are ready to see him send it.

Show us what you've got, Daniel.

He's yet another West Australian ninja.

How many of the greats hail from there?

There's Ben Polson, Olivia Vivian.

It's a ninja breeding ground over there, that is for sure.

(STARTER BELL SOUNDS)

And he's off.

Over the Shrinking Steps. Carefully.

Good foot placement.

That's a great start from Daniel Watermann.

And up he goes to the Candy Can Rush.

Ready to go down the slide.

Here he goes.

Stick the lache? Nice grab.

Oh! Got it.

They may be pint size but these teens are fast and fearless.

The dominoes now. Commitment is key here.

Yes.

Now the Anaconda's the one I worry about though, Jim.

Yeah, he handled those first three lickety-split

and he's the quickest tonight onto the Anaconda.

And he is light. Just 50kg.

He can use that to his advantage here as he bypasses the lache.

His less weight to carry means less fatigue than the larger ninjas.

But look how fast he's going.

Wow. He's going two at a time.

Wow! Wow!

I can't believe how strong this kid is.

A 16-year-old kid making it look easy.

His arms are like pistons.

It's like he's a robot across the doorknobs.

I'll tell you what, this is almost as fast as using the lache bars.

He's door-knobbed all the way. That was so quick.

He tamed that serpent no problem.

Can he tame the Flying Shelf Grab to Corkscrew?

You've gotta get up that rope,

get to the parallel bars, and then start your swing.

This will test his grip strength.

How much gas does he have left in his arms after the Anaconda?

Three big laches with a spinning and dropping corkscrew in the middle.

Nails the first one.

Wow. This kid has all the skills.

Looking confident.

Lacheing across to the Corkscrew.

Look at that body control.

In that time, Leila.

It's like he's got jets coming out of the back of him.

He is just flying through this course.

This is a test. He's gotta go up 40cm. Not easy.

Oh! And he has it.

Easy. He's coming to the Wall, Leila.

He's coming to see us. Get over here.

He said he'd send it.

His T-shirt told us he'd send it.

And he's sending it. Express!

He's 20 seconds faster than Ben Lewis was at this point

and Benny took three attempts up the Warped Wall.

CROWD (CHANTING): Beat the wall... - What will Daniel do?

He's a first-time ninja.

Just 168cm tall. It could be a challenge.

Go!

Oh, the one-handed grip. What?

Are you kidding me? What's he doing, this kid?

How cool is this kid? (CHEERING)

How cool.

The Send It kid has brought it all the way to the top of the Wall

and look at him celebrating.

He just did The Sprinkler.

I mean, you've got to be kidding me. What did we just witness?

He's thrown the rulebook right out the window.

He says I'll take the doorknobs and do it quickly.

Treated this course just like a playground.

And despite hanging off the Warped Wall,

he sent a message to the Ninja legends

with a trailblazing time of 2 minutes 20 seconds.

And with a run like that, we might well have a teen in the Power Pool.

Come on over.

Oh, my goodness.

Tell us about the one hand grab at the top of the Wall.

Is that something you dreamed of doing?

Yeah. I had it planned all along. (LAUGHS)

I just thought, might as well flex while I'm here.

Well, he certainly did that. Yeah.

What do you want to say to your family?

We've got them on the screens here.

They're a long way from here.

Thank you so much for sorting it out

and thank you for supporting me all the way through.

(MWAH) Love you!

Looks like you're gonna miss them for a little bit longer.

That's a semi-final run for sure.

Incredible. Nice work. Well done.

And with that run, 16-year-old Daniel Watermann

has not only topped the best of the teachers,

he's thrown down the gauntlet

to those ninja veterans yet to run.

The only other finisher so far,

teen basketballer Ben Lewis,

sits second, more than a minute behind.

Teachers Nathan Burley and Warwick Draper

remain in Power Pool contention

but there are still several ninja legends yet to run.

Time for a break but don't go anywhere.

On the other side, one of Australian Ninja Warrior's best.

Coming up, back for another shot at the title, stuntman Mike Snow.

I wanna win Australian Ninja Warrior like, this much.

Can our veterans knock off the teens in the race to the Power Pool

where our four fastest ninjas will fight it out?

I'm all for it. Let's go.

(CHEERING)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior.

Where the teens have been conquering the course

and I think it's fair to say

in the teens versus teachers battle,

the teens came out on top.

But look out 'cause here come the adults

including some of our superstar veterans.

The silent assassin Matty Bowles.

The queen of Ninja, herself, Olivia Vivian.

And warming up right now, our favourite stuntman, Mike Snow.

But first, another brand-new ninja ready to burst onto the course,

Ninja debutante Aurelien Schibli.

(CHEERING)

(LAUGHS)

Oh!

Aurie in the lederhosen, busting out some moves.

Traditional German outfit.

Not so traditional on the Ninja course.

(COW MOOS)

My name is Aurelien Schibli.

I would go by the Schnitty Ninja.

I'm a proud German

and so schnitzel is one of my favourite dishes.

So, I was 20 years old,

I jumped on a plane to Australia for the first time

and just fell in love with the milk and honey.

And the love of my life, my now fiancee Amy.

I'm very blessed that I have her.

I am ready for Ninja Warrior.

My kryptonite is my grip strength because I work in an office all day.

These obstacles have never seen a ninja like me.

Aurelien Schibli. He's never been on the course before.

Interesting. What the hell's with your hat?

I don't know. It doesn't quite fit my head.

(LAUGHTER)

And there she is, Aurie's beautiful fiancee Amy.

And good mate Brenton.

They're getting into the spirit down there.

OK. That was fun but it's down to business now.

Here he goes. And it's across the Steps.

And looking pretty good so far.

Nice light feet as he heads for the Candy Cane Rush.

So, he's worried about his finger strength, Aurelien.

Needs it here.

Sets himself and up he goes.

Six-metre slide and grabs a hold of the saddle and a great dismount.

Those fingers are working just fine at the moment.

Wow. That's a pretty impressive start.

But this one tests even the most seasoned ninjas.

The Domino Effect.

He's gotta get quick. And he did it.

Oh, nice.

On to the Anaconda.

This one is certainly going to be difficult for him.

(CHUCKLES) Or not.

Look at him go. I did not expect this.

What are we seeing here? He's flying.

Look at the strength on him.

Oh, look at that reach.

This is an impressive run.

Power and speed and he's going for the lache.

Come on, Aurie.

ALL: Oh! This guy's got skills.

Where is this guy coming from? Well done.

And the dismount.

I actually think that lederhosen is a really good ninja-ing kit.

The shorts really are right up there.

Oh, he bent over.

He has a bit of a wedgy there on the old lederhosen.

Hopefully doesn't stop him.

Second fastest to the Corkscrew tonight.

But this will challenge his finger strength.

You've got to get up to the parallel bars

and then lache up to the first shelf

and then it's time to get twisty on the Corkscrew.

That will test him. He will spin a full revolution and drop down.

But first things first.

He's got to get up to this Flying Shelf.

Ooh, great catch.

Wow. This guy is a gun. Have a look at those shoulders.

Oh, there's some tired arms and he is doing it.

He's got a bit of momentum now. Yes! Up on the Corkscrew.

How do you grip on there?

His fingers are amazing.

Come on, Aurie. Come on.

Layla, this is an absolutely mind-blowing run from Aurie.

He is destroying this course.

Ooh, he hits his feet on the next Shelf.

Oh, no! Oh, he can't hold it!

It's Auf Wiedersehen, Aurie. Off the Flying Shelf.

What a debut. This guy came out of nowhere.

But, man, that was mightily impressive.

How do you reckon the shorts are going to go after they got wet?

(LAUGHTER)

Aurie started strong but the Anaconda did take its toll.

Then at the Corkscrew, he hung on too long

and then struggled to generate enough power

to get him up onto that last Shelf.

He got his fingertips to it

but with straight arms, that's almost an impossible catch.

Aurelien, mate, your shorts were really riding up there.

But don't worry, it looked incredible.

Thank you. I do train my bum a lot.

Nice. Very strong glutes.

Incredible run by the way.

What happened at the end there?

I think I ripped my hands. Ooh!

Right.

But it's not hurting because it's still adrenaline.

OK. The man's got adrenaline.

Hopefully you can heal, my friend.

Amazing run from Aurelien.

Round of applause for Aurelien, everybody!

Thanks, Woody.

It was an amazing run

and he should be comfortably in the top 18 and into the semis.

Now, from a new ninja to one of the greats.

Time beat this legend on the grand final rope climb last season.

Since then, he's made some massive changes.

But it's not what he's bringing to the course that's the big surprise,

it's what he's lost.

It's Mike Snow.

This whole Ninja thing is starting to feel pretty familiar now.

I've hit the grand final every year except Season 2.

Mike Snow hits the buzzer.

But when you start getting to

time limits and cliff-hangers...

He's gotta get up there. Come on, Mike!

..every extra kg counts.

No! Three, two, one.

And there he goes. No!

Five more seconds and he would have had his hand on the buzzer.

This year I wanna win badly enough to do the torturous weight drop.

I've gone from 90kg to 78kg.

It's been a pretty horrible process,

as a man who really loves his food. (CHUCKLES)

This is what my dinners are often lookin' like.

We've got corn, beans, spinach as a base.

I'm droppin' weight, gotta get it done quick, so...

I've just gotta be up there, speed-wise.

Having all these teenagers on set is gonna be an interesting one.

Alright, they're young whippersnappers -

mad fit and very naturally capable -

but they are lacking the experience that older competitors like me have.

I feel weird saying "older". I'm almost double some of their age,

but that's just them being really young, right? (CHUCKLES)

Let's go.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

WILL: Mike Snow - he is jacked.

This is his year, I reckon, Woods.

There's a lot riding on it.

JIM: Yeah, time to see how the pros do it.

Mike Snow

is a four-time grand-finalist.

He's been here every season

and came agonisingly close

to Mt Midoriyama last year.

He'll wanna put that pain behind him

with a big statement tonight.

His folks on the sideline will certainly hope he can.

LEILA: Let's watch this closely.

Mike Snow.

2022.

Obstacle one - the Shrinking Steps to Rope.

Each step smaller and higher,

but they don't present a problem for our stuntman tonight.

And let's keep an eye on how quickly he moves through things.

Remember, the Power Pool is the big target for a guy like Mike Snow.

Lache - beautiful.

Takes care of the Candy Cane Rush.

But he needs to finish in the top four tonight

to get into that Power Pool.

If he carries on with this speed, he'll be top four, for sure.

Perfect over the Domino Effect. He looked light as a feather.

And he's gonna have a little less weight to worry about

as he goes up the Anaconda.

The teens will certainly be on notice,

but Mike - he's just manhandling it.

He gets to the lache bar.

He's gonna give it a lash.

Yes! He's taking the fast track.

These legends feel the teens breathing down their necks,

but the fightback starts now.

He is fast. 51 seconds gone -

two obstacles remain.

Look at the confidence and assuredness of this run.

That's what strength and experience bring, and Mike has it in droves.

Mike Snow is a man on a mission. Could this be his year?

He hits the Shelf chest-high so his arms

can soak up the drop, and his core just locks in.

Now on to the Corkscrew.

Nicely done. Great stuff!

Body control outstanding from Mike Snow.

And another big upwards lache...

Yes!

Oh, nice.

Looks so relaxed. This is the quickest run of the night.

He's a full 20 seconds quicker than our current leader,

young Dan Watermann, to this point.

Mom and Dad watchin' on. It's Mike Snow, headin' to the top.

Up he goes. No problem. Oh!

There he is. Here he comes. (BUZZER BLARES)

(CHEERING) The teens have laid down

the challenge to our veterans,

but the old guard strikes back.

Mike Snow at the top of the wall.

(CHEERING) Sendin' nice love down to

the family. Aw.

He showed no love to the course, though, Leila.

That was a dominant performance from the veteran.

Mike Snow was smooth and efficient across the obstacles.

He topped the Warped Wall and hit that buzzer in 1'50" -

the fastest time tonight by 30 seconds.

And that run may well see him heading to the Power Pool

for a shot at that crucial semi-final advantage.

Mike Snow. Mate, give me a hug, Mike.

(MEN MURMUR) Really nice, mate.

Now, we've had a lot of teens out here

that have been talking a lot of smack.

Do you have a message for those teens, mate?

"Go away." Nah. Nah.

(ALL LAUGH)

Oh! No, no, they're welcome.

I think it's sick that they're shaking it up.

There's a few shredders hiding in the mix,

so we'll just have to see what happens.

Wowee. Speaking of shredders, have a look at these things.

Do you mind if I put the microphone on them? See if it makes a noise.

Cheese grater. (BOTH LAUGH)

Didn't really, but hope that looked good.

Mike Snow, everybody!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

After the break - a ninja

taking a scientific approach.

I'm the combination of brains and brawn.

JIM: Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior,

and our ninjas are blazing through the competition, Leila.

LEILA: Yes, they are,

and the teenage ninjas are leading the charge tonight,

but Mike Snow has hit back hard

with by far the fastest time in the heat -

blowing the course away with his speed and power.

(BUZZER BLARES)

And, still to come, three former grand-finalists,

champing at the bit for their chance to settle the score.

But it's not just teens and legends readying

to take the course by storm.

Add into that mix a new wave of ninjas,

and the competition has just cranked up a gear.

Now, Jim, let's welcome one of those newbie ninjas.

He is a vegan scientist

who's hoping his vegan diet will fuel him

all the way to the top of the Warped Wall.

He calls himself the Peacemaker. It's Brodie Peace.

I am Brodie Peace -

the Peacemaker.

I'm a scientist,

and what I do is grow meat.

(CATTLE MOO)

We take an animal, take a tiny tissue sample of their cells,

and then grow them, multiply them,

from one tiny cell to a ton of meat in less than two months,

without killing a single animal.

(BLEATS)

I'm here to spread the peace,

to remove animal suffering and change the world.

Being a first-timer, I actually

think it takes a bit of weight off my shoulders.

I'm not trying to beat something that I've already done.

I'm Brodie Peace, and you're about to witness peace in the making.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Oh! Wow.

Get a load of that.

BOTH: Go, the Peacemaker! (WILL LAUGHS)

This is Brodie Peace, also known as the Peacemaker.

He's got a vegan diet, so definitely three 'pieces' of fruit a day.

Hopefully he makes it through the course in one 'piece'.

(LAUGHS) He's a walking, talking advertisement

for the vegan diet, isn't he, Jim?

No doubt about that.

(BELL CHIMES)

(CHEERING)

Let's go, Peacemaker.

Eight steps -

no problems at all.

He didn't need to be concerned about those,

but he might need to be with the Candy Cane Rush.

This is all about timing the release.

Yes. Nice work.

Yes.

His precision and timing have been solid.

Now, a big test of balance on the Domino Effect. Oh! Oh!

Quick, quick, quick, quick. Oh! Oh!

Oh, speed was his friend there.

WOODY: Saved by the tushy.

And what a tushy it is, Will.

Yeah, no, he's beautiful.

Quite a 'piece', Woods. (LAUGHS)

This is where the strength of the upper body will come into play,

and he is cracking on through this Anaconda.

This is a speed run so far.

Come on, Peacemaker.

He's got a bit of weight, so he's got to do this quickly.

One of the bigger competitors - 81 kilos -

yet he's going the doorknobs. He's really backing his strength here.

And he's fighting this Anaconda all the way.

That raw strength's serving him well,

but it's gotta be takin' a toll.

That, though, is another quick time,

using the doorknobs.

Big question - will it cost him on the Corkscrew?

Here's the dismount.

Nails it! Oh, look at that!

And here he comes.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

That back. Yeah.

I mean, really, I'd just love to put some Philadelphia on that thing

and have it for breakfast.

(ALL LAUGH)

Brodie's shaking those arms out. That is a tell-tale sign.

The Flying Shelf Grab to Corkscrew is a killer on already-tired arms.

1.48 on the clock.

Can he make it to the Warped Wall?

He's gotta dig deep here,

'cause he's a big ninja, about to hit a small shelf.

There's just enough room for fingertips.

Yes! Oh!

Made it!

Now, this lache is higher,

and it will test what's left of his grip strength.

Here we go. He needs to reach up to the Corkscrew, and...

Oh! He's off it! (BUZZER BLARES)

Spun into the pool!

But what a great debut -

makes it out to the fifth obstacle.

Incredible.

Showed a lot of strength.

We are going to see him again.

A great effort from the Peacemaker.

Taking the doorknobs really does drain you.

He got to the Corkscrew,

but his left hand didn't seem to make enough contact,

and, as it spun, Brodie's body weight just peeled him off.

But that's a bold showing from another new ninja,

and he's gained some fans on the sideline.

Hey, Peacemaker, what a run, mate.

How are you feeling?

Mate, I reckon that was pretty bloody good.

Mate, 100%, that was pretty bloody good.

I'm quite enjoying touching the little muscle here.

You have an outstanding body.

You're too kind.

No, no, I'm not being kind. That thing is extraordinary.

Do you mind if we get a good shot of that on the camera there?

Just stop and... Oh-ho!

Yeah. Yeah, that's gonna bring peace around the world -

no doubt about it. (CHUCKLES)

What a run. It's the Peacemaker. Make some noise!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Coming up, Australia's biggest Taylor Swift fan.

If anything gets in my way, I'll just shake it off.

LEILA: Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior.

Here's another first-time ninja

who also has her eyes set on that buzzer.

She's a Taylor Swift mega-fan,

and after tonight, she might just have some mega-fans of her own.

Australia, let's meet Zenia Wood.

Swift Mover is my ninja nickname.

♪ Whenever you need someone to turn to. ♪

That came from

my obsession with Taylor Swift that I have had since I was 13.

Yeah. (CHUCKLES) It's a while.

I'm, like, an OG fan of Taylor Swift, so...

I do have a tattoo in reference to her.

"If you never bleed, you're never gonna grow."

And that's going through hardships, like...

being hit by a car at 14 -

three days before national volleyball selections.

And I think it was definitely a big hit,

but I think that if we don't bleed

and we don't go through these struggles,

then we don't have growth out the other side of it,

so everything is either a win or a lesson,

and I'm excited for tonight, regardless of what happens.

I'm here to conquer the Warped Wall,

and if anything gets in my way,

I'll just shake it off.

(LAUGHS) Yeah.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

WILL: Zenia Wood is a huge Taylor Swift fan, Woods,

and I've gotta say I knew she was trouble when she walked in.

(LAUGHS) Oh, he's good. Let's hope Zenia is.

Come on, Zenia. Be strong, girl. You've got this.

Love you, babe.

LEILA: Her dad, Nick, and her friends all there to cheer her on.

JIM: She looks like she is ready to light this place up.

There's the bell. Now it's time to go.

Hopping across carefully.

She's been nervous about that, but no problems tonight.

Yeah! Go! Come on, Zenia!

Now the Candy Cane Rush. You wanna make sure you make that transfer.

There it is. Down she goes.

Nice catch on the slider.

She's lookin' good, Leila. She is, isn't she?

But my stomach drops when they get to the Domino Effect.

It's claimed a few scalps this year.

Come on. Go, go. Go fast. It's been tricky.

Oh! Oh no! Fast!

She hangs on! Yeah!

How close was that? And she's now

the first woman to make it to the Anaconda.

Can she beat this ninja-killer?

Up she goes. So far this season,

half the ninjas to attempt this have crashed and burned.

Only woman to get this far - she'll want to beat it.

Past the shortcut lache bar.

27 grip-testing doorknobs. Keep goin'.

Oh, my gosh. Look how tall she is.

She can span right across three. That was amazing.

What a reach. The transition could be tricky, though.

You've gotta get the right hand.

She's done it. She's got the left there, but can she get the right up?

Go up! Go up! Come on!

Go! Go up!

Up with that right... No, no!

Oh, she's gonna get tired. Oh no.

You've gotta really lift it. BOTH: Yes!

Come on now!

Oh!

Adrenaline. She needs adrenaline.

Let's give it to her, crowd. Come on.

Come on! Come on, Zenia. Gotta go!

She is burnin' some energy,

so she's goin' the lache bar. That's a smart move.

Come on, Zenia.

Let's see you get over to the next one.

She'll be gassed out. Can she do it?

BOTH: Yes! Oh!

Ooh! I can't believe it's her first time, Woods.

WOODY: That was massive. Send it!

One more time, right here!

Whoo! Oh, consider it sent!

(LAUGHS) Oh, she's gassed.

Oh, she's pooped. Whoo! Get up! Get up!

She is absolutely exhausted,

but she's made it further than any woman has tonight.

What a superstar.

Come on, Zenia. You've got this.

Can you imagine the fatigue in those arms?

She's digging deep now.

The crowd is gonna have to get behind her.

She's going to need a big pump-up.

(CHEERING)

But how's the reach?

Not much of a climb on the rope - just a reach up to those bars.

This is sheer determination and willpower right here.

She is really spent, but she's gonna leave it all out here.

(CHEERING) She's nailed it.

Hey! Can she hang on, though?

Flying Shelf over to Corkscrew.

There is no quit in this ninja.

Hang on! Yes!

How tough is she?

I cannot believe she is pulling this off.

This is inspirational.

Absolutely mind-blowing.

She came tonight to beat the Warped Wall,

and here she comes.

Sometimes you just see somethin' special -

in the eyes, the determ...

ALL: Oh!

Missed it by that much.

She has got that determination.

She is fierce.

And certainly, with that performance,

she's gonna be movin' on to the semi-finals.

Welcome to the show, Zenia Wood.

I loved the grit and determination from this first-time ninja.

She gave it everything she had on the doorknobs,

but fatigue was always gonna be an issue,

and she ran out of gas agonisingly close to the wall.

But what a gutsy effort.

Olivia Vivian, there's a contender hot on your heels.

Oh, mate, how are the forearms?

Oh, wow. You could barely grip my hand then.

That was all you in that handshake. Oh, mate.

That was sheer determination on the Anaconda.

I thought you were gone two-thirds of the way through.

What got you over the line?

Dad screaming, honestly.

(ALL LAUGH)

But I was so pumped for the wall, but...

I'm just...

stoked to be here, and... I'm really proud about my first run.

Great stuff. See ya in the semis.

Yeah, I hope so! Me too.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Coming up - a new ninja they call the Flamingo.

I have a ridiculous wingspan. It's...

huge. (CHUCKLES)

As well as that, I just love to fly around.

Then speed machine Matthew Bowles returns...

and the Ninja queen...

REBECCA MADDERN: Olivia Vivian! ..kicks off her campaign.

OLIVIA VIVIAN: Nothing's gonna stop me being the first female in history

to win Australian Ninja Warrior.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

LEILA: You're back with Australian Ninja Warrior,

where our ninjas are vying

for a top-18 finish and a place in our semi-finals.

The second of our Ninja Mum duo,

43-year-old Nicole Chamberlain, started strong,

confidently tackling the first two obstacles

and easily passing Katrina Bean's effort.

Yes! The catch!

She became the second woman tonight to get to the Anaconda...

JIM: Alright. This is the tricky part.

..but, sadly, also the first to fall off it.

What's harder - childbirth or the ninja course?

(LAUGHS) Well, I had three caesareans, so they were easy.

Oh, childbirth - easy.

Alex Cvetkovski, from Brisbane, was next on course.

The 20-year-old rock climber got off to a rocky start.

He's just diving for it.

And he's safe. BOTH: Yes!

But he recovered to get across the course and climb the Warped Wall -

only the fourth ninja tonight to do so.

First time!

Unbelievable!

Grand-finalist 'Spider' Sam was next to hit the course.

Oh, he landed like a superhero.

He set up a rematch with the Warped Wall...

Oh! He's living last year's nightmare.

..but, once again, couldn't quite rise to the occasion.

Oh! Just by a whisker. (BUZZER BLARES)

Let's talk about the Warped Wall.

I think I have picked up an arch nemesis here.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

And that leaves 'Spider' Sam just

outside the Power Pool positions.

Newbie ninja Alex Cvetkovski joins

teens Dan Watermann and Ben Lewis

in the top four, with four-time

grand-finalist Mike Snow

leading the way.

But hold the phone.

On course now, the man with the massive wingspan - Chris Tang.

Oh! Oh no!

It looked a little awkward, but it did the job.

This is one of the fastest times we've seen tonight.

Whoo! WOODY: He's been a bit hairy

on a few of these obstacles so far.

WILL: I don't think he's hairy at all. Can't see a hair on him.

No. Yeah. Good call.

JIM: Wow, only 35 seconds,

and he's up on the Anaconda, just behind Mike Snow.

The Flying Flamingo - massive wingspan.

Yes!

Says he loves to fly.

Gets there!

(CHEERING)

Look at the power on that swing.

Oh! It's not the prettiest, Jim, but it's exciting.

A little slip and slide on the dismount there,

but he is flying high here.

This is unconventional but fast.

So fast, in fact, Jim, he is now the fastest to this point tonight -

five seconds ahead of leader Mike Snow.

Oh, yes! Yes!

(CHEERING)

He just has to watch out he doesn't hit his head - he's flyin' so high.

Look at him smilin' too. He is loving it.

Oh, hangs on!

Great strength.

Gets to the front of the Corkscrew.

Looks a bit fatigued there.

He's got to leap up half-a-metre to the next Flying Shelf.

Yes, he has it! He's heading to the Warped Wall.

We could have a new leader.

Look at the time!

If he gets up that wall and hits the buzzer,

he's on target for the Power Pool.

And this is where his wingspan should pay off.

Dad's pumped.

Now, any time around 2.15 is quick.

Here he goes. Can he get there?

Oh!

Not the first time. Not quite.

First-time ninja nerves. That can happen.

Beat that wall! Beat that wall!

But time is critical here. He's behind Mike Snow

and in serious risk of being passed by Dan Watermann.

CROWD: Beat that wall!

And he's gonna have to beat the clock too

if he wants that Power Pool advantage.

The key here is you start gradually

and then really hit the speed once you hit the ramp.

Come on. Go!

Come on! Yes... Oh! No!

Oh, unlucky. He had it.

His fingers were right there.

You can't get much closer.

Will this cost him a spot in the Power Pool?

Can he make it?

Dry off your hands.

Maybe that's fatigue, but now we have a problem, Leila.

Yes, this is his third and final attempt.

Come on, Flamingo!

Last chance.

Doesn't get more exciting than this, Will.

(CHEERING)

Look at the determination on that face.

He can do this - he knows it.

Come on. Come on.

Yes! Yes! He's up!

(CHEERING)

The Flying Flamingo has beaten the wall!

And look at the celebrations on the sidelines from his dad.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

How about the grit and determination?

He was messy, but he was also strong and fast,

placing fourth on the leaderboard.

But with two former grand-finalists still to run,

those extra attempts could well cost him the Power Pool.

But still an incredible debut run from the Flying Flamingo.

Phil, I'm gonna be honest - you look more tired than Chris.

Yeah. (LAUGHS) I think... I think I was just, basically,

expending all of my energy, as well.

It's amazing. Good to see you've tied in

with the flamingo theme as well. Oh, yeah. Yeah, we had to match.

It's a beautiful thing to see.

Now, Chris, you absolutely flew through, mate.

How did you feel out there?

Look, as soon as I got past the first one,

I just, in my head, "I've got this. I can get to the end."

It was just too much fun. I couldn't stop. (CHUCKLES)

Great job, Chris. Congratulations.

All the best, brother. Cheers. Have a good one.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

LEILA: Well, that run had everything.

I can't wait to see what he brings to the semis.

JIM: He's an exciting prospect, Leila.

And speaking of exciting,

our next ninja is dubbed the Silent Assassin

for his stealthy moves

and James Bond thrill for adventure.

Yeah. He's a dual grand-finalist,

and he's got a licence to kill it

on the Ninja course tonight.

Please welcome Matt Bowles.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Dressed in black, the Silent Assassin.

Go, Matt!

Partner Lilian is supporting him there from the sidelines.

He's a ninja the other ninjas fear,

but he's never hit a buzzer in a heat.

Can he make that mission possible tonight?

He looks like he's about to go out on a Saturday night.

Are you gettin' that vibe? He's just in a nice polo and some jeans.

Maybe he's going to the flicks after this. He's confident. I'm confident.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(BELL CHIMES)

OK. A warning - do not blink. This guy is fast.

Across the steps.

Bypasses the landing pad and straight on to the Candy Cane Rush.

And... down.

He's goin' so fast, he's leavin' a vapour trail out here.

Oh-ho! Blink and you missed it!

This isn't just fast. This is insanely fast.

Just dances across the dominoes.

Oh, look at this run!

This is crazy.

He is stomping on this course.

Matthew Bowles is back!

(CHEERING)

This is the fastest time I think I've ever seen anyone go.

This is ridiculous.

30 seconds in, and that's the Anaconda done and dusted.

Yes! Yes! Somebody call the fire station.

This ninja is burning the course down. This is nuts.

He's never hit a heats buzzer?

I guess speed kills, but he's lookin' alive tonight.

He is certainly killing the clock.

They don't call him the Silent Assassin for nothing, Jim.

Nails it! Whoa!

He's hammering Mike Snow's time, and he's left the teens in his dust too.

Come on, baby. One more. Look at that backswing.

This guy's unbelievable. Yes! Yes!

And he's on his way to his first-ever heats buzzer.

Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!

This is amazing. He is up the wall in no time at all.

Oh! Straight up the wall!

And what about that finish?

How about the style? And the speed.

That is, by far and away, the fastest time in the heats so far -

16 seconds quicker than Ashlin Herbert's

scorching run in the first heat.

That bloke ate the course for breakfast.

Welcome back, Matty Bowles. That was amazing.

It was all or nothing for this excitement machine

as he rocketed through, showing no respect to the course.

Can you believe that was his first-ever heat buzzer?

No surprise - it was also the fastest run of the season.

(CHEERING)

Matty, how are ya, mate? Congratulations.

That was unbelievable.

Unreal, mate. Unreal. Phew.

Seriously, that was comfortably the fastest run we've seen.

How are you feeling about it?

I was on one mission today,

and that was to hit my first buzzer in the heats,

and I've accomplished that.

A little bit of a silent assassin out on the course.

So you were like a double agent in a James Bond movie.

I felt like I was watching the opening scene

from 'GoldenEye' there. You were flying through,

in your black kit and everything, and then you come meet

a gorgeous woman on the side here. Gee whiz.

We saw your hot moves on the course. Can we see...

Ooh. Oh!

Look at this! (CHEERING)

Wowee. Wowee!

Close your eyes, kids. Mate, that was red-hot stuff.

Great watching you on Ninja. Congratulations.

See you at the pool. Thanks, guys.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

That was hot. That was hot, wasn't he?

Hot. (LAUGHS)

LEILA: And with that lightning run,

Matt Bowles rockets straight

to the top of the leaderboard -

almost 40 seconds faster

than Mike Snow.

Alright, grab somethin' hot. Grab somethin' cold. Grab your breath.

Don't go anywhere.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

The inspirational queen of Ninja Warrior, Olivia Vivian.

After being the first female to make it on the Power Tower...

(COMMENTATORS SHOUT)

..I just know that it's possible to end up in that

top finishing spot and make it to the Power Pool,

so I really wanna get there tonight,

and I wanna see some female energy over that pool -

just sending it.

So, tonight, I am definitely going for that Power Pool.

Boom! (LAUGHS)

That's next on Australian Ninja Warrior.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior,

and what a night of Ninja so far,

with the teens dominating early,

but the legends have asserted

their superiority with Matt Bowles

and Mike Snow now sitting atop

that leaderboard.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

OK, Australia, it is time to make some noise.

LEILA: Alright! Now make some more noise.

Because next up is one of the superstars

of Australian Ninja Warrior.

She is the queen of the Ninja scene.

Exciting, inspirational, unstoppable -

it's...

BOTH: Olivia Vivian!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

BEN FORDHAM: Yes! She hits it and holds it!

REBECCA MADDERN: What an athlete!

She never gives up. Come on!

Yes! She's got it! And she's got it!

What? What? What?

(SHOUTS)

Can she be the first female into the grand final number two?

Grand final! She's there!

She's done it! Whoo!

You are remarkable, Olivia Vivian!

This woman is out of this world!

(ECHOES)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

LEILA: Look at that, the queen of the Ninja world.

JIM: Oh, she's a beauty.

It's so good to just be in the room with these icons.

You'll notice she's suffered an injury to her left elbow.

She has been furiously rehabbing it

to be ready for this year's big competition.

We'll see if that hampers her at all.

(CHEERING)

I feel like every single woman who does Ninja Warrior

has been, in some way, inspired by this woman, Will.

Yeah, Woods and I are actually just really pumped

about meeting this woman, so we might just do a quick little g'day

to her before she does the run.

Olivia.

How are you feeling?

I'm nervous, but I'm excited.

OK. Nervous but excited.

Doesn't wanna talk to us.

Doesn't wanna talk at all. Fair enough.

Fair enough. (CHUCKLES) Olivia.

Whoo! Let's go, Liv! Yeah!

LEILA: Her partner, Ben Polson, finished third in his heat.

Can Olivia go better tonight?

(BELL CHIMES)

It's time. Obstacle one - the Shrinking Steps.

Good speed. Nice balance.

No problem. (CHEERING)

One obstacle down - five to go.

JIM: Sets her feet for the Candy Cane Rush.

Takes the leap and the ride.

Here's the lache.

Silky smooth from Olivia.

(CHEERING)

Expectations are always high for this ninja.

Three obstacles down. 20 seconds gone.

I'll tell you what - she's settin' a quick pace so far here.

Up she goes on the Anaconda, on the doorknobs.

She looks like she's gonna take the speed lane -

goin' with the lache bar. Here comes the big swing.

BEN: Come on. You've got it. Can she make the big leap?

Yes! Yes, she can.

She's got all the skills. She's the full Swiss army knife of Ninja.

She laches, rock-climbing skills, agile feet,

she's an Olympic gymnast - full package.

Blowin' a few kisses. Why not?

LEILA: Her speed, to this point, is impressive.

She's a few seconds ahead of Mike Snow's time.

She keeps this up,

and she'll be chasing down the Power Pool advantage tonight.

JIM: That left elbow doesn't seem to be problematic.

And here she goes for the first shelf.

Big swing, and a nice catch.

(CHEERING) This is just poetry in motion

from the Ninja queen.

She is just gliding through this course.

The teens were fast and fearless,

but this is just a masterclass from the Ninja legend.

And here she goes.

This is so fast, Jim. She is matching it with the men tonight.

She is moving at a pace.

You know what she's movin' to? She's movin' to the Power Pool,

if she can get up this wall quick enough.

This is a very quick time.

She is lighting this course on fire.

She's one of only three women to do every season of Ninja Warrior.

You can hear the support. You can feel the support. She's an icon.

How many ways have we watched her conquer this wall?

And up she comes. BOTH: Oh!

(ALL GASP)

That's a shock. I didn't expect that from Olivia Vivian.

Come on. That could be costly.

She's in third position, with Dan Watermann breathing down her neck.

But if she fails the next attempt,

I dare say she'll miss the Power Pool altogether.

Hope that elbow is OK.

And so do I. She has to calm herself down, think of her experience...

She's the only woman still in contention.

Come on, Olivia. Come on!

CROWD: Beat the wall!

Yes! Oh yes!

Oh, and look at this move! (LAUGHS)

The scissor kick, and the signature backward flip,

straight up that wall.

(CHEERING) So good! What a relief.

She's just posted the third-fastest run of the night,

and that means she's goin' to the Power Pool. Amazing stuff.

She truly is an extraordinary athlete.

Her technique is flawless,

and Olivia made good time across the course,

relying on efficiency that made her fast.

She showed that focus and control

can get you to a top-four finish,

despite taking two goes at the wall.

That was a hugely impressive run from an equally impressive ninja.

(CHEERING)

This is a real treat. A real honour to meet you.

Oh, thank you. Amazing.

How did that feel?

Because it was great just to watch you hit that wall and stick it.

I'm so glad to be up on the tower,

talking to you guys. It's...

It feels much better now that that is done.

It was awesome. How about the elbow? It's strapped up -

how did it hold up?

I'm coming in this year with a bit of a 'ninj-ury'...

(LAUGHS) ..so we're just

managing the best we can so I can get through the season.

Did you go out there to go fast to get in that Power Pool?

Was that the plan tonight?

That was my plan - to, sort of, be smooth, efficient...

I really do want that Power Pool tonight.

I want some female energy... (CHEERING)

..up there. Yes.

So good to see you. Congratulations.

See you later for the Power Pool. Well done.

Thank you!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

There's no other ninja quite like Olivia Vivian.

What a couple.

Ben Polson finished third in his heat.

Olivia matched that tonight.

And that is how you get the job done.

For the last time tonight, here's the leaderboard.

These are our semi-finalists.

The Bin Chicken Ninja, John Sterio, makes it through in 17th,

and, on what has been a night

for new ninjas,

Zenia Wood and Aurelien Schibli

also moving on to the semis -

as does the Peacemaker,

Brodie Peace, in 10th.

Teenager Ben Lewis was one of two

teens up the Warped Wall tonight.

And how about this top four?

Three of them are from

Western Australia - we said it was

a ninja breeding ground,

and we weren't joking.

But the performance of the night

so far belongs to Matthew Bowles,

with an insanely fast run.

The top four will now battle it out

in the Power Pool

for a huge advantage that they'll want to take into the semis.

So, there we have it - our four ninjas taking on the Power Pool.

But only one will conquer all

and claim an incredibly powerful semi-final advantage,

where they get to choose

which opponent they face in head-to-head racing.

The Power Pool, coming up next.

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: We are back on Australian Ninja Warrior,

and it is Power Pool time - and what a line-up we have in store.

LEILA: These are the four ninjas fighting it out for the advantage -

the queen of Australian Ninja Warrior, Olivia Vivian,

the teen of the night, Daniel Watermann,

our favourite stuntman and fierce competitor, Mike Snow,

and the fastest ninja we've seen over the heats, Matthew Bowles.

And take a look at this thing.

The Power Pool is colossal, and it needs to be,

because the reward for the winner is massive.

Over the past few nights, we've seen it all -

big names have fallen...

BOTH: Oh! ..the full 5m.

Ashlin's in the water!

And ninjas have been punished...

Ben Polson could be in trouble here.

..for being less than perfect.

A couple of upsets at the Power Pool.

Racing at height, head to head, has cranked up the pressure.

If you can handle the heat, you will bag the advantage.

The Power Pool end game is a sprint in three parts.

Ninjas must race across the steps and up the rope,

but it's the transition off the rope that's really tricky,

and even the best have struggled.

From there, it's on to the Basket Toss -

three laches, where extra swings are the enemy of efficiency.

Then the final sprint is their last chance to play catch-up,

with a 3m rope climb to the buzzer.

(BUZZER BLARES)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

It is thrilling. It's ninja versus ninja,

and they have to win not once but twice

in a three-round, winner-takes-all knockout.

Olivia Vivian takes on the Send It Ninja,

Daniel Watermann,

then stuntman Mike Snow

takes on speed machine Matthew Bowles.

The winner of each faces off

for that huge advantage.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

I can't wait any longer. Let's get this party started. Bring 'em out.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

It's the legend, Olivia Vivian,

takin' on the teen, Daniel Watermann.

Step right up into the Power Pool.

Olivia Vivian was fast tonight

in a way we haven't seen before.

She means business.

She had the third-fastest time tonight,

ahead of Daniel Watermann by a few seconds.

Can the 16-year-old repeat heat one's Power Pool

and take down a legend?

Alright, Daniel, what's the plan?

Um, send it.

(LAUGHTER) Love it.

(CHEERING)

Olivia, you've been sending it for years now.

How much more "send it" have you got in you?

Oh, tonight, it's for the girls, baby!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Oh, fantastic.

Alright, Daniel Watermann, Olivia Vivian -

teens versus legends - let's do this.

(BELL CHIMES)

The attack of the teens continues.

And Olivia gets up to the rope first,

but Daniel's makin' his way up also.

Who's gonna get to the bar?

It looks like close to a dead heat. No, it's the teen on the attack.

Here we go, on basket one.

Daniel's swinging, but Olivia laches on to basket two.

She has basket three in her sights.

Daniel just behind her.

But Olivia makes the dismount first. She's to the rope.

Experience counts.

She's up, and she is at it.

And it's going to be Olivia Vivian

at the buzzer!

Oh! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

The Ninja queen,

taking down the Ninja teen!

Wow. What a moment.

She was doin' it for the girls, and she is into the finals.

But what a night Daniel Watermann had this evening.

I can't wait to see what he does in the semis.

(CHEERING)

This was a come-from-behind performance for Olivia.

She used the static bar to help her swing and release straightaway.

That was enough to gain the lead,

and she moves on to the final face-off

in the Power Pool.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

We're up to round two, and who will take on Olivia Vivian?

Will it be Matty Bowles or Mike Snow battling her

for that critical advantage?

We're about to find out.

Both of these guys have been Ninja grand-finalists,

and Matt's time tonight was absolutely blistering.

But head-to-head racing is different,

and Mike proved himself on the Power Tower last season,

so he knows how to get it done.

Well, let's get ready to rumble.

Go ahead, fellas. Get after it.

(BELL CHIMES)

And they're off. There's nothing in it across the steps.

And up the rope. It's all gonna come down to this transition again.

Who'll be first to the static bar?

Looks like Matty Bowles has got it, but this is tight.

Wow! Matt rejected on his first release.

Mike now on the first basket - they're neck and neck.

Matthew releases. He's applying pressure,

and Mike has to play catch-up.

Matt gets to the third. Oh-ho!

Is he gonna get to the mat first?

Yes! Yes, he will.

Here we go, Matt heading up the rope.

Mike not far behind him,

but it looks like it's Matt who's gonna smash that buzzer.

Yes! He's into the final race.

This is a challenger to the throne.

Matthew Bowles took the lead first,

but he seemed to change his mind mid-swing here.

Oh, he did well to hang on.

And that gave Mike the chance to catch up,

and they were neck and neck again,

but Matthew's decision to let go first was the difference.

He was on fire earlier tonight,

and he's still smokin'.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Leila, I am so pumped for the finals in this Power Pool.

It's Olivia Vivian. It's Matty Bowles.

It is on. It is incredible.

This is what it all boils down to.

I cannot wait any longer. We can't wait any longer.

Let's get right to the final.

(CHEERING)

The queen of Ninja up against the speed demon.

Who will win the advantage?

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(BELL CHIMES)

And they're off.

They're stride for stride early.

Neck and neck on to the rope.

Who can get to the baskets first? That seems to be the key.

This is pressure.

Oh, oh, oh, oh! Matt's on the bar first,

but he's got his legs tangled in the rope.

Oh no! Oh no! This could be catastrophic.

Olivia's struggling to get to the static bar.

But Matt's free and takin' the advantage.

Matt about to hit the second basket. He's looking strong.

Olivia needs to do something.

She's just getting to the first basket now.

And what's Olivia got left?

She needs something here.

Oh!

Oh, that's a big move by Olivia!

Wow!

Olivia making a desperate run,

but Matt is on the buzzer.

Matt has claimed that critical advantage.

There is just no quit in Olivia Vivian.

She's gonna get to that buzzer, no matter what.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

What a great final round... Yeah.

..and the advantage goes to Matt Bowles.

Well, she didn't win, but those last three laches -

that's the play of the day. What a great comeback.

And well done to Matthew Bowles.

He soaked up the pressure all night long,

and now he'll get to choose his semi-final opponent

in another knockout race,

and that's a massive step towards Mt Midoriyama.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

We are here with Matthew Bowles, our Silent Assassin,

down at the Power Pool.

Mate, what a race. Yeah, it just... went so quick.

You were home and hosed, and then she came back,

like, just, this tidal wave coming in behind you.

I don't think you realised how close it was till the end,

but you kept your poise,

in true Silent Assassin form, and you've binned it.

You're goin' through to the semis with an advantage.

How good's that, guys? What a race, eh?

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

She's back. Here we go!

(LAUGHS) There we go!

Congratulations again to Matthew Bowles, our Silent Assassin!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

LEILA: What a phenomenal night of Australian Ninja Warrior action -

the most incredible, I think, we've ever seen,

ending in an explosive Power Pool race.

And that's all for tonight,

so join us next time for more Ninja magic,

right here on Australian Ninja Warrior.

Goodnight. Goodnight.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

It's now or never.

The heats come to a dramatic climax...

MAN: My whole life has been preparing me for this moment.

..with the battle of the titans.

I'm gonna stop at nothing to be crowned Australian Ninja Warrior.

Three former winners return to the course.

I'm here for season six.

No more broken back - I'm goin' all the way.

Can any of them reclaim the title?

After winning last year, I'm gonna try and hold on to that crown

as hard as I can.

Or have they met their match...

I'm feelin' pretty confident

that I've got what it takes to go all the way.

..with the youngest ninja in Australian history?

The older guys definitely have had their time.

It's just time for them to leave. Like, see ya. (LAUGHS)

And it's an evolution of the phenomenon...

WOMAN: This has never been done anywhere in the world.

..as semi-finals week...

MAN: It's gonna be really cut-throat.

..puts ninja against ninja...

JIM: Boss against the apprentice... ..husband against wife.

..brother against brother. (BELL CHIMES)

Boom! Launch mode!

Double the pressure...

MAN: I'm gonna have to go all guns blazing.

..double the speed... SAM: It's time to speed it up.

Bring it on. ..double the intensity...

Oh, my goodness! Oh, my... Oh no!

BOTH: Oh! My god!

..in a sudden-death race to the buzzer.

They're coming up the wall together! Oh, my goodness!