Original subtitles

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC BUILDS)

LEILA: As the Ninja Warrior phenomenon entered a new era...

..the legacy of our legends grew...

JIM: Yes. Come on, baby.

So much power, what an athlete.

..when they entered a battle royale with a new breed of teens...

Oh, he's got it! He's got it!

Oh, the right-handed group. What, are you kidding me?

How cool is this kid?

..72 ninjas,

including 17 from the new generation...

Yes, he did it.

The kid is 16 years old.

..proved themselves worthy

to face the next stage of the evolution.

MAN: I am ready to fight.

The semifinals are reimagined...

..with sudden-death showdowns...

WOMAN: We are ninja verse ninja.

That brings on a lot more nerves.

..turning friends into foes...

The Bowl Cut, there is a Bowl Cut.

We definitely have to put the friendship aside.

Oh, they are toe to toe.

..and loved ones... I'm racing my beautiful wife.

..into rivals...

She is a force. Oh, you're in trouble, my man.

You're in real trouble.

..The stakes have never been higher...

Oh...

A lot of good ninjas are going to get cut.

It's game on.

..as ninjas eliminate each other...

JIM: He's taken the lead.

Oh, look at this. What a run!

..in a knockout race...

First to the buzzer wins!

..to the Grand Final.

Can you believe it? That was unbelievable!

(TRIUMPHANT MUSIC)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

JIM: Welcome back to Sydney Olympic Park

for the Australian Ninja Warrior semifinals of 2022

and what a night we are in for.

I'm Jim Courier and I am super pumped.

Me too, Jim. I'm Leila McKinnon

and if you thought the heats were hot,

wait till you feel the burn tonight.

24 ninjas have made it through to tonight's semi-final,

but the field is about to be slashed in half,

because for the first time ever,

ninjas will compete in head-to-head knockout races

for a coveted Grand Final spot.

JIM: That's right, Leila.

This semi-final is going to create Australian Ninja Warrior history

when we do something we've never done before.

The course has two identical lanes

and its ninja versus ninja in a race to the finish line.

The winner of each of our 12 showdowns

will earn themselves that express ticket into the Grand Final.

Tonight the course comes in two parts.

In the first part, two ninjas will race across six obstacles

in a knockout sprint to the buzzer,

with the losing ninja instantly eliminated from the competition.

The winner of the knockout race earns a ticket into the Grand Final,

but they don't stop there.

They proceed to part two of the course,

in an attempt to finish as quickly as possible.

The furthest fastest tonight

will earn themselves a crucial advantage

going into the Grand Final.

The head-to-head.

What's a twist. Oh, wow.

I'm nervous.

I'm definitely nervous about knockout semis.

That is unprecedented pressure. (LAUGHS)

'Cause it's no longer just your ability versus the course.

Who I'm up against could 100 percent change the game.

If I know what my opponent's strengths and weaknesses are,

I'll definitely change how I run.

You're going to have to forget everything that you've learnt.

It's going to be fierce.

LEILA: The ninjas are nervous and so they should be.

JIM: The race starts with the Sprinting Steps.

(BUZZER SOUNDS)

A test of balance, accuracy and most importantly, speed.

Obstacle two is the Launchpad to Trapeze.

It requires a quick take-off, but foot placement is the key.

It's a 2.8 m leap to the trapeze bar,

which is attached to a zip line.

There is no time to slow down on obstacle three, the Log Dash,

It's a 7 m test of balance on a very narrow log.

LEILA: Obstacle four is the Salmon Ladder to Ring Toss.

Ninjas must jump up a minimum of two rungs.

Precision is vital, but tough under pressure.

Then it's a tricky traverse across eight pegs using just two rings.

The smoother ninjas are here, the faster they'll go.

Obstacle five is the Wing Nuts.

There are three wing nuts requiring tough lateral laches.

Risky manoeuvres here could result in either an impressive comeback,

or an early splash out.

If both ninjas have survived all the obstacles,

the 4.35 m dual Warped Wall

becomes the ultimate decider.

Hit the buzzer first...

..and you've earned a spot in the Grand Final.

For our other ninja,

the quest to conquer Mount Midoriyama is over.

But the course doesn't end at the Warped Wall.

The ninja that wins that battle

will continue on with obstacle seven,

the Double Dipper.

This obstacle requires two perfectly timed releases.

Mess either one of them up and the race is over.

On obstacle eight, ninjas will feel the sting of the Beehive.

It's a 2.5 m lache with challenging handholds.

The second beehive has to be rotated 270-degrees.

There are no shortcuts here, it's all about technique.

LEILA: The last obstacle fills ninjas with fear.

The dreaded Dragon's Back makes its return

and its position on the course makes it more punishing than ever.

Ninjas use a bar to move up the scales,

then slide down to land on bungee cords.

Then they have to do it all over again.

Getting off is harder too.

A powerful lache is required to get to the elevated cargo net.

Then it's a race up to the Crow's Nest to hit the buzzer.

(BUZZER SOUNDS)

Hit the buzz of the fastest and the Grand Final advantage is won.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

JIM: OK, Australia, let's do this.

This is Australia Ninja Warrior like you've never seen before.

We're about to shake this competition up

with some serious head-to-head semi-final knockout action.

Earlier today, Will and Woody revealed to our ninjas

who they will be racing against.

Jim, are you ready to find out who our first match-up is?

I'm ready, Leila and I think the crowd is ready.

Let's find out who is facing off

in our first ninja versus ninja showdown.

So the first pairing tonight...

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)

We've got one of our Bowl Cut ninjas, Minato Thomas...

..racing...

Oh, dear.

..it's the other Bowl Cut ninja!

(APPLAUSE)

Let the best Bowl Cut win, mate.

(LAUGHTER)

Bowl Cut ninja verse Bowl Cut ninja.

Friendship aside, everything is going down on this course tonight.

Being a teen and making it to the semi-finals,

I am just super psyched.

JIM: This is major.

This is the attack of the teens coming to you.

Jordan should be afraid of me...

..because I have a grip strength advantage.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Minato does worry me a little bit.

We're very closely matched in our skill.

We train together, we've done the exact same preparation.

Him knowing how I train definitely raises the stakes.

Got very good grip strength, but my advantage would be speed.

LEILA: Races across the Shrinking Steps and no hesitation.

As long as I don't slip...

..I think I'll be able to keep up with him.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

All right, it's the Bowl Cut ninjas, the best mates.

These two have got the rankest haircuts in TV

as far as I'm concerned, Woods,

but I'm on Jordan Wysman.

And I am on Minato Thomas.

Battle of the Bowl Cut Ninjas.

LEILA: Here we go, Jim, it's our first teen of the night.

17 year old Minato Thomas

battling best mate and fellow gymnast, Jordan Wysman,

both first time ninjas.

JIM: And the pressure is on for these friends.

Be fast, don't fall and at all times,

keep an eye on your opponent.

And let's not forget, for one of these boys

to advance to the Grand Final,

they need to knock out their best mate in the process.

The stakes could never be higher.

(BUZZER SOUNDS)

And here they go, Sprinting Steps to Rope,

the boys neck and neck as they head onto the Launchpad to Trapeze

and they're up.

Oh, they are toe-to-toe as they head onto the Log Dash.

And it's Minato just out in front.

Wow, they are moving.

Quick start to the semi, Jim.

Beautiful start, now they're on to the fourth obstacle.

Salmon Ladder to Ring Toss,

using that strength to get up there, move on to the fixed bars.

Minato is on the rings quicker than his mate, Jordan.

He is making some good time.

But Jordan is coming up on him pretty quick too.

That's a really nice swing by Minato.

There is the dismount and he is on to the Wing Nuts,

the fifth obstacle.

Minato taking a moment. This is risky,

because look at Jordan,

he's coming up the inside and he's just jumped straight on!

Now that's a really smart move by Jordan,

'cause he's got on this obstacle first

and that means if they both fall from the Wing Nuts,

Jordan is in the Grand Final.

He's in the lead, but Minato is fighting back.

Look at them go, driving each other on, neck and neck.

Two best mates going toe-to-toe on the Wing Nuts.

This is down to the wire, Minato first,

can he get up the wall?

First to the buzzer wins!

He can't get it! Oh no, he just missed it.

So did Jordan. Oh, this is exciting.

All right, Minato's second attempt.

He's got it! He's up!

Minato has it. He's going to get the buzzer!

Yes.

Minato takes the Bowl Cut challenge

and a 17 year old is the first ninja

to make it through to the Grand Final.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

We say goodbye to Jordan Wysman, he is out of the competition,

but the clock hasn't stopped for Minato,

he is now racing for that Grand Final advantage.

Next stop, the Double Dipper.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Yes! He is done!

He is on the cargo net. Yes! That was beautiful.

He flew through there.

How about this first time ninja getting it done,

up to the Beehive already.

Minato's setting a quick pace for the Grand Final advantage...

Come on, Minato! ..but this isn't good.

He's hanging on by one hand.

Oh, he's down! Oh, he just couldn't hold on.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Wow,

that was unbelievable. What a race. How about that?

Minato Thomas into the Grand Final.

Well done.

WOMAN: Well played, well done.

Well from the start, these two looked like they were competing

in a synchronised ninja event,

right up until the Salmon Ladder.

Jordan just miscued his last rung.

That gave Minato the lead,

which Jordan pulled back,

but Minato was faster on the Wing Nuts.

The lead he gained though, he almost threw away.

The pressure of head to head racing forcing both ninjas into mistakes,

but it's Minato Thomas,

our first ninja and first teen

who makes his way through to the Grand Finals.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Minato!

Wowee, what a race.

Talk us through what was going through your head

when you failed up the Warped Wall the first time

when you had the lead over your man Jordan.

Oh, soon as I failed that first try,

I was really stressing,

'cause I could see Jordan was about to go for his first attempt as well.

But thank God he didn't get the first time,

so I could get the second time. Oh, I love that.

Let's get him over here. Jordan, get over here.

Come on, mate. Get over here.

Hug it out, boys, hug it out.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Mate, Jordan, how proud are you?

Minato Is going to be going to a Grand Final.

I mean, do you have a message for him going into it?

No, I am pumped, I'll be here to watch,

support him along. Yeah, no, I'm pumped to see.

I reckon he'll do really well.

Minato Thomas, the Bowl Cut ninjas.

Give it up, everybody. Yew! (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

JIM: What a battle that was. Our first grand finalist is a teen,

but in our next race,

we switch from ninja newbies, to ninja legends.

Two words describe our next match-up, mega battle.

It's the ninja stalwart competing in his sixth straight season,

Adelaide's big ninja, Alex Bigg

and the Sydney paramedic in his second season, Matt Hutchins-Read.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Going into the semis,

I am feeling pressure this year, for sure.

I'm not one of the fastest ninjas.

I like to play it safe.

But ninja verse ninja is going to make me take some risks.

Tonight I would love the spot in the Grand Final,

but I know how solid and consistent Alex is.

Big man with a big bald head.

LEILA: Here he goes and the legs going as well.

Terrific form, Alex Bigg.

The only advantage I've got over Matt tonight

would be my cardio endurance.

For me, that means you just go hell for leather in the semis.

You've got nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Only 12 ninjas tonight are going to make it through to the Grand Final.

I'm not taking it easy on him.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Here we go, Matt Hutchins-Read v Alex the big boy Bigg,

it's the battle of the baldies.

Let's see how they go on the course.

JIM: Now Alex and Matt were in the same heat.

Alex Bigg finished second in the heat, Matt Hutchins-Read third,

earning both ninjas a spot in the Power Pool,

with Matt doing one better than Alex.

Both ninjas are a force to be reckoned with,

but Alex carries an extra 19 kg, which could give Matt the edge.

Alex Bigg being cheered on by his family...

(LAUGHTER)

..and Matt Hutchins-Read

with the support of his girlfriend, Judith Carroll.

(INAUDIBLE)

OK, here we go. Race two it in the head-to-head knockout semi-finals.

(BUZZER SOUNDS)

JIM: And here they go.

Matt Hutchins-Read off to a fast start

and he is taking the early lead.

That's going to put pressure on Alex Bigg.

They both hit the Flying Trapeze

and there's not much in it as they get to obstacle three.

Wow, look at Matt Hutchins-Read, straight across the Log Dash.

He gets to the Salmon Ladder first and here comes Alex Bigg.

This is a close contest we've got here.

Oh...

Alex Bigg is his favourite obstacle, the Salmon Ladder.

Look at him go.

Matt's rock climbing skills come into play here on the Ring Toss.

He has the upper hand here.

This is where he feels comfortable.

And now this dismount.

Yes, Matt's skipping some pegs there.

He is off and now onto the Wing Nuts.

Well Alex Bigg is going to have to hustle.

Biggie just behind him...

..straight onto that first Wing Nut.

Go, Matt! You've got it.

Judith screaming on the side there.

JIM: Oh, Matt just missed that grab

and now Alex has swung into the lead for the first time.

What a race,

what is Matt Hutchins-Read going to do,

he's going to have to take some risk.

Alex Bigg first to the Warped Wall.

Oh, he's missed! This is unbelievable!

Here comes Matt.

It's anybody's race.

BOTH: They both missed it!

Third and final attempt for Alex Bigg.

This is chaos!

Here comes Matt!

Oh, oh, Matt's up! Matt's got it!

He's up, they're both up! He's got it!

Alex Bigg! That was unbelievable. Can you believe it!

Somehow he came from behind.

That was crazy!

I cannot believe what we've just seen there.

Good on you, keep going.

That was insanity. Oh, wow.

That was rated 'I' for insanity.

Devastating end for Matt though,

one second faster,

he would have been going through to the Grand Final.

Alex is through and he is now chasing that Grand Final advantage.

But that head-to-head took it out of him.

He looks absolutely gassed,

as he gets ready for obstacle seven of nine, the Double Dipper.

This was a real ninja killer last season.

A destroyer of dreams, but he's aced it. Beautiful!

Quick look at his training buddy, Arlo there on the screen beside him.

But he has nailed the Double Dipper and he's heading onto the Beehive.

Wow, that was a race for the ages.

How much did that wall take out of the tank here,

as he looks at this next obstacle.

Good news, you're into the Grand Final.

Bad news, here comes the Beehive.

Yeah, that's right.

We still have some punishment for you.

Mount Midoriyama is not making this semi-final easy.

But here he goes, Alex Bigg, sideways lache...

..on to number two.

JIM: Oh, yeah, that was nicely done.

Now he fell in the heats on the Beehive last year,

so I'm sure he would have practised this.

Oh, no! Alex Bigg has gone!

He's in the water.

I put the moz on him, that's my fault, no one tell him I said that.

LEILA: What an effort after that huge battle.

JIM: I mean, let's all just take a breath, especially Alex Bigg.

For a ninja with good cardio, even he is exhausted.

Well he deserves a rest, because that run was pure chaos.

Matt Hutchins-Read held the lead through the first four obstacles,

but when Matt tried to span the Wing Nuts and missed,

Alex Bigg struck back.

Then we saw what head-to-head pressure can do.

The Warped Wall has never been harder to climb.

Matt looked like he had it in the bag,

but then Alex, in a do or die effort,

somehow launched himself up the wall

and knocked Matt out of the competition.

But, it was a move that saw him run out of gas on the Beehive.

Alex Bigg, mate.

How are you, brother? Knackered, knackered.

What a run, what a race between you and Matt Hutchins-Read.

I mean, I hate to see two bald brothers doing battle.

We should all be getting around each other, but you guys threw it down.

Oh, I knew from the start,

going up against Matt was going to be brutally hard for me.

I didn't think he'd get away from me so fast at the start,

but yeah, then we got to the wall

and I thought I had it in the bag and then one missed step,

I missed it by an inch

and then again, missed it.

Thankfully he did too.

That last one, that was all I had left in the tank, hey.

I was knackered when I got to the top of that.

So if you missed that final wall, it was all over, right?

It was, that was the end of my night, and of my season.

Well you're through to the Grand Final.

Yew! What a race, what a champion.

Give it up for Alex Bigg, everybody.

LEILA: Alex Bigg is a true ninja legend.

Year after year, fighting his way into the Grand Final

and that was one hell of a fight to get there again.

Coming up, the legends of ninja take on the sudden-death semifinals.

We are ninja verse ninja. This has never been done.

It's going to be wild.

Legendary ninja, Fred Dorrington,

winner of season one returns stronger than ever.

No more broken back, I'm going all the way.

The knockout round raises the stakes tenfold.

It's elimination.

And later, it's the return of

the Australian Ninja Warrior Celebrity Challenge.

Former model, Kyly Clark...

I don't want to get wet, I just did my hair.

..takes on Love Island winner, Tayla Damir.

Kyly looks like a weapon,

I'm quite intimidated by her already.

Then AFL legend, Nathan Brown...

A skill set.

I've got big calves, I'm hoping that my big calves help me out.

..Is caught in the ring with Olympic boxer, Harry Garside.

I've watched heaps of ninja, it's so impressive.

I have absolute respect.

I wish I could do that.

The Australian Ninja Warrior Celebrity Challenge coming up soon.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

JIM: You are watching the Australian Ninja Warrior semifinals,

where for the first time ever,

our ninjas are competing head-to-head in a knockout race

for a spot in the Grand Final.

LEILA: And to secure that place in the Grand Final,

they must scale the Warped Wall and be the first to the buzzer.

But there's even more on offer...

That's right, Leila.

The overall furthest fastest tonight

will earn themselves a game-changing Grand Final advantage,

that I can guarantee every ninja wants to get their hands on.

So what's the advantage?

Well, it's a big one.

Tonight's furthest fastest

will earn a second chance advantage for the Grand Final.

That means if they fail an obstacle,

they get to run the course again.

A second chance could be the difference between going home early

and $100,000.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

All season we've raved about the attack of the teens,

with 17 young guns making the semi-finals.

Now it's time for our second teen to take to the course.

17-year-old Sydney student and pole vault champ,

Aiden Princena-White...

..and from Mapleton in Queensland, outdoor educator, Jack Hodgson.

I was excited when I saw I was racing Jack.

Any advantage I have over Jack I think is speed.

I have my athletes background, so I'm pretty quick on the course...

LAILA: Aiden, taking down his big brother.

..but at the same time, going up against Jack

is a little bit nervous as well,

considering he has like, double the muscle that I have.

(LAUGHTER)

He is looking strong, he is looking good.

JACK: I don't think I'm a typical ninja,

but I've got the skill sets to dominate.

I'm a camp leader.

It's pretty physical outdoors.

Keen, pumped?

It's a lot of strength. Working with ropes,

archery, pulling those back muscles.

Canoeing, which is like pretty strenuous...

..which really helps me train for Ninja.

I'm a camp leader by day, but tonight I've come to dominate.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

JIM: Amazingly, Aiden beat his brother Ethan in the heats.

Let's go, Aiden.

There he is on the sideline.

Ethan will compete in another semi-final.

WOODY: All right, here we go.

We have got Aiden Princena-White,

he is a bit of a pole vaulting prodigy this bloke, Will,

can he pole vault over Jack Hodgson?

I don't know, mate, but they both look really nervous.

They're into the semi-finals, their jittery, they're shaky.

It should be really interesting to see how this goes.

Let's do it.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Both Aiden and Jack made it to the Anaconda in their heats,

Aiden getting there in a slightly faster time.

But remember, there is only room for one of these first-time ninjas

to make the Grand Final.

The other will be knocked out of the competition.

Both of these guys narrowing their focus.

The fun is over.

Now it's time to get off and get going,

onto the Sprinting Steps to Rope,

both quickly through and then on to the Trapeze.

Beautifully flying through the air.

Slipping and sliding before they get to the Log Dash though,

they've got to be careful on this one.

Oh, he dives for it!

They both make it!

Well, Leila.

Yeah, just lost a little bit of time there with that awkward dismount,

but they're on the Salmon Ladder together.

Oh, a bit tricky for Aiden, but he corrected

and they are once again, neck and neck.

There are moving quickly, but they're moving precisely.

Ninja Jack, he's skipping some pegs. He is making real-time.

And this is amazing, these guys are flying

and now onto the Wing Nuts they go.

Well Jack got there first, so should they fall,

he's furthest fastest.

These sudden death semis

are bringing out the speed in our ninjas.

Jack is in the lead, but it's just the one swing in it.

What can Aiden do here?

Jack on the last Wing Nut, off he goes

and Jack is the first ninja to the Warped Wall, but here comes Aiden.

Jack making his run at the wall...

He missed it!

Aiden going up...

Aiden is up the wall,

Aiden has beaten Ninja Jack up the wall.

From behind!

Princena-White! Wow!

Gee-whiz, we've got to keep moving.

One small slip at the Warped Wall,

costing Jack Hodgson a spot in the grand final

and now he's on to the next one, here he goes.

Release, didn't get it!

He is in the water, I did not see that coming.

That was a good effort.

The 17 year old is into the Grand Final.

Jack managed to survive an early scare on the Log Dash,

but he regained the lead after some smooth moves on the Ring Toss.

He got to the Warped Wall first,

but Jack felt the pressure of the knockout race

and allowed Aiden to come from behind for the win.

And at 17, he is the second teen through to the Grand Final.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

OK, Australia, our next ninja showdown

is one for the ages and I do mean the ages.

Check this out.

It's our youngest ever ninja up against the oldest ninja

left in the competition.

It's going to be a teacher ninja, Warwick Draper...

Straightens his tie.

You're racing someone who could be your student.

It's Haydo Potato, Haydyn Reed!

(APPLAUSE)

Wow.

Hope I don't get a detention, hey.

(LAUGHTER)

I beat teachers every day.

(LAUGHTER) I correct them on their mistakes.

It's always just a combination...

Oh, you're one of those students, right.

Yeah, OK, I know exactly what to do with you.

JIM: Go, go, go.

Go, go! Oh my goodness.

This is outrageous, Leila.

I don't think there's any ninja that would be very satisfied

if a 16-year-old high schooler took them down.

He's got a chance to hit his buzzer at the age of 16.

Straight up the wall! He is going to do it!

Being the youngest to finish the course, it's unbelievable.

Mount Midoriyama, he's got eyes on you.

Whoa! This guy is a teacher?

I really want this position in the Grand Final.

I'm going to give it absolutely everything.

Is this guy like a little bit of a secret gun?

I have competed at three Olympic Games in canoe slalom.

I'm hoping that my experience

will bring me some good luck on the course.

I guess what worries me about Haydyn is the unknown.

Yeah, he's young and he's fast, flashy, who knows what he can do.

(LAUGHS)

I hope you've done your homework, mate.

Oh, definitely not.

(LAUGHTER)

This race has it all.

Youth versus experience.

The teacher and the student.

Now look at these stats.

Warwick Draper is 29 years older than Haydyn Reed, who is 16.

He is the youngest to ever compete on Australia Ninja Warrior.

There will be people all over Australia taking sides, Jim.

Tonight I've got Haydo as the favourite in this one, Leila.

He went up the wall in 2.5 minutes.

He finished sixth in his heat.

Our teacher, Mr Draper, he went out on the fourth obstacle, Anaconda.

All right, we're about to find out.

(BUZZER SOUNDS) Here we go.

Over the steps, teacher versus student, the teacher just ahead,

Mr Draper up on the Launchpad to Trapeze just ahead of Haydo Potato.

Mr Draper giving Haydyn a lesson right now

in his unorthodox ninja gear

and straight up onto the Salmon Ladder.

This is where Haydo really goes to work.

His best work is above his head.

Teens have a much better power to weight ratio,

so Haydyn knows he can capitalise on the Ring Toss,

but wait, here comes Mr Draper.

He's caught him, hasn't he?

Oh, what a move from the teacher.

Check out Haydyn, he's coming up on the inside.

Haydo Potato was first to the Wing Nuts.

He's got the upper hand.

If they both fall here, he'll be the winner.

Oh, Haydyn's gone down.

Oh...

Hayden has bombed out, he's gone too fast.

So Mr Draper has got to finish the Wing Nuts to beat Hayden.

If he can, which he does.

He tumbles his way into the Grand Final.

He has fallen onto the wall.

He hasn't beaten the wall, he's eaten the wall.

Mr Draper, coming up the wall.

Warwick Draper, not the first time.

Oh, slippery shoes. Got to dry those off.

He is going to want to make it up on his second attempt

to be a contender for the Grand Final advantage.

(AUDIENCE CHANTING)

Can he get there? The crowd going wild!

Yes! And he's up!

Yes, baby!

The crowd wanted him to beat it and he beat it.

He is through to the Grand Final.

Well done.

The maths teacher! He has done it for the teachers.

Even Haydyn looks happy for him,

great sportsmanship from the 16 year old.

So experience counts,

but can our oldest competitor in the semis

nab that Grand Final advantage?

This is the Double Dipper.

It will feel like he's riding the rapids in his kayak,

the bar, the paddle in his hands,

but he'll be hoping he doesn't get wet and yes!

Yes! Straight under the net.

You little ripper, on the Double Dipper,

as he heads to the Beehive.

Warwick is chasing the clock

for the Grand Final advantage

and he is currently 14 seconds behind Minato Thomas.

Swing out, grab a hold and then start those lateral swings, Leila.

And on the second honeycomb,

he gets a chance to do a little bit of maths too.

He's got to spin it 270-degrees.

What a catch and now comes the spin.

And he has locked it in.

Minato was quicker to the Beehive, but couldn't complete it.

If Warwick can, he'll become the new furthest fastest

and will have one hand on the Grand Final advantage,

but first, he's got to land this.

Oh that's a catch. Oh, only just!

That is a catch. Oh...

Did not expect that one. This is amazing.

He is so dramatic.

Shocking landings, every time.

Mr Draper nails the Beehive, he is the new furthest fastest

and currently holds the Grand Final advantage.

Come on, Warwick! Come on, Wazza!

He is the first ninja to the Dragon's Back tonight.

Can he slay it?

This Dragon's Back is vicious.

Slaying the Dragon is not for the fainthearted.

Oh, there he goes!

He's down, but what a valiant effort from our maths teacher,

Warwick Draper.

Teacher, Warwick Draper, just gave us all a lesson.

This lache to get back into the game was a nice power move.

Haydyn had the lead on the Wing Nuts,

but cracked under the pressure of the knockout race.

Mr Draper threw himself at the course,

but the Dragon's Back got him in the end,

when he didn't keep the bar straight and down he went.

But that was a top-class performance.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Warwick Draper. The teacher ninja, mate!

Did it feel good, mate, I feel like you were just

channelling every teacher in the country there,

just squashing all those 16 year old tip rats

that are coming at you teachers everywhere, did it feel good?

Well, you know, a lot of those kids are not doing their homework,

so you do your maths, you can get through the course.

Oh, I love that. There you go, kids.

A little bit of a fight back from the teacher.

How about it? Warwick Draper,

the maths ninja, the teacher, he's through to a Grand Final.

Whoo!

Was a night of ninja action we have had so far.

Don't go anywhere, Australia.

The head-to-head battles continue right after the break.

Two teens have made it to the Grand Final.

Then coming up, can Twitch's protege make it three?

Twitch has taught me everything that he knows.

Don't slow down. Right.

I'm coming for you. I'll just stretch the old hip out.

(LAUGHTER)

Then, Power Pool winner, Bryson Klein,

earns supremacy to choose his opponent.

Bryson is taking no prisoners tonight

and he's bagged that semi-final advantage.

Choosing who I compete against could be the difference

between making it through to the Grand Finals and being eliminated.

Make the right choice and he's into the Grand Final.

Make the wrong choice and it's game over.

So who will he choose?

Thanks to Energizer, the ninja who goes furthest fastest

in each of the three semifinals wins a second chance advantage.

If the ninja fails to complete a Grand Final stage,

they can use their second chance advantage

to rerun the course,

increasing their chances of reaching Mount Midoriyama.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

JIM: Welcome back to the thrilling first semi-final

of Australia Ninja Warrior.

This next ninja duo is going to be a teenage rampage.

It's to 16 year old ninjas going toe-to-toe

with one of them guaranteed a Grand Final spot on debut.

That's right, Leila. Teen versus teen.

Luke Schmitzer and Evan Williams.

Come on, Evan, you can do this.

Get those socks flying.

My ninja name is 'The Silly Socks Ninja, '

because I have these silly socks.

These silly socks are good luck

and I wear them all the time when I'm training.

So I really like kind of niche sports.

Before Ninja, I did parkour and gymnastics and rock climbing also.

I've got hot socks

and I'm the hottest new ninja on this year's course.

Schmitzer is my last name,

but my nickname is 'The Schnitzel, '

because nobody can really say it properly.

I may only be 16,

but I've been watching Ninja from the start.

Twitch has been there from the start of my Ninja journey.

Twitch has taught me everything that he knows

and I'm ready to showcase that tonight on the course.

The fire is there and I really want this.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Silly socks v a schnitzel.

Sounds ridiculous.

I think it's going to be a ridiculously good race.

Go, Luke!

LEILA: So, Luke is being coached by ninja Twitch,

one of the ninja favourites

and carries with him the knowledge of a veteran.

JIM: Luke may have Twitch on his side,

but don't count Evan out.

He is a triple threat,

with parkour agility, gymnastics precision

and rock climbing strength.

So let's see what this battle of the teens has in store for us.

(BUZZER SOUNDS)

All right, they're off and running

and Luke's going to be first off of the obstacle

and onto the Launchpad to Trapeze.

Evan faltered slightly on the take-off there,

but this is tight as they head to the 7 m Log Dash.

Whoa! Oh...

Oh... Just chosen to go for it.

Luke's off, but Evan is yet to get on.

Now he goes.

He's almost caught up, he's got to go quick, but not too quick.

Mistakes will be punished,

but the upper hand is with the 16 year old Victorian.

Luke the schnitzel is up the Salmon Ladder

and ready to head for the Rings.

Oh, the pressure is now on Evan. He'll have to get moving.

He needs to find another gear.

The flying schnitzel got a good lead here.

Evan is in a tough spot here, trying to play catch up.

If he can close the gap and put some pressure on Luke,

he could turn the tables.

That's it!

LEILA: Twitch is cheering Luke on and he's looking confident.

He just flies off this obstacle.

These teens are fast, they're fearless.

Luke heads to the Wing Nuts,

the last obstacle before the Warped Wall,

but it ain't over 'till it's over.

JIM: Whoa!

Luke tried to span it, didn't quite get there.

He's going to have to go with a lache.

Nails it, but that has tightened up the race significantly here.

First off of this one is going to get first crack at the wall,

but we've seen ninjas struggle with the first attempt.

This is tight.

Evan's struggling a bit on that first Wing Nut.

A little bit of sideways action, but he's recovered.

Luke is up to the Warped Wall now.

Oh, Evan is gone, he's down and he's in the water!

All right, just the pressure of the clock now for Luke.

Trying to get up the wall for the first time, here he goes.

Go! Yes, he's gonna do it! He's up, he's up.

First time up the wall! That is amazing!

He's done it! Luke Schmitzer, the schnitzel.

He's into the grand final, but more to go.

Keep on going.

Onto the Double Dipper.

Congratulations, you're through to the Grand Final

and now chasing the Grand Final advantage.

He's 16 seconds behind Mr Draper,

but this is where the power to weight ratio comes into play.

He could go faster.

Go, buddy.

Go, fly! Got it!

Nailed it!

That was stellar from schnitzel.

He can fly and look at his proud mentor!

Twitch on the sidelines, giving him a bit of advice.

Yes, Lukey!

And they need to get a lot of fire in the belly of this young man,

'cause this is tricky, the Beehive.

This is not easy.

Get some momentum and you've got to stick with the grip.

Get those fingers on there and start swinging, young man.

You can do this.

That's a nice-looking swing he's got going.

Stick that!

Oh... Oh no!

BOTH: Oh...

Wow. Fingertips.

Fingertips.

And look at the celebrations from his mentor there,

twitch and from his family.

Unbelievable.

Look at this 16 year old.

Obstacle eight, through to the Grand Final.

Luke had an early scare on the Log Dash,

but put that well and truly behind him

as he held the lead from that point on.

Evan was forced to play catch up on the Wing Nuts.

It was a do or die effort, so close to the Warped Wall.

The Schmitzer however, had a blitzer on the Double Dipper,

but was ultimately stung by the Beehive.

What an effort though, the 16 year old Victorian is in the Grand Final.

I can't tell who is more excited here.

Twitch, or Luke.

This is what it's all about, the hard work and training paying off.

Soak it up, team, this is the good stuff.

Everyone on the leaderboard tonight is through to the Grand Final.

Top of the class, teacher Warwick Draper, still holds the advantage.

But have a look at this.

Three of our grand finalists are teens.

Stay with us as more ninja legends face knockout races.

Olivia Vivian, Georgia Bonora

and Fred Dorrington are still to come

and then, a matchup that could have repercussions

long after the race is over.

Edward Burrill.

You are going to be head-to-head with...

Oh...

..your wife, Lisa Campbell!

Oh, they didn't!

Oh, the divorce lawyers are licking their lips.

I'm just going to take this off.

(LAUGHTER)

It's on, let's go.

I've never experienced nerves like this before.

I think it's tough versing me, 'cause I'm his wife,

so I feel like there's like a few layers here to unpack.

EDDIE: In all honesty, a little bit of mixed emotions,

'cause I really love supporting Lise

and I love to see her do really well and the fact that I can't do that,

because I'm trying to beat her,

is a weird dynamic in my head.

But the reality is,

statistically in the time that we've both been on Ninja Warrior,

Lisa has done better than me.

LEILA: Oh...

She's fitter and stronger than I am.

She'll recover. She'll do it.

Lisa, if you win, I'll give you a month's worth of foot rubs.

Eddie, if you win, I'll be surprised.

(LAUGHTER)

LEILA: It's husband versus wife

when we return to the Australia Ninja Warrior semi-finals.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Welcome back to this thrilling semi-final

of Australia Ninja Warrior,

where our ninjas are going head-to-head

for a ticket to next week's Grand Final

and it's finally time to see if true love can survive this savage course.

Lisa Campbell and Eddie Burrill, they are newlyweds, Woods.

Mmm...

It is a year of firsts on Ninja Warrior this year

and it could be a first time we see a divorce live on TV.

Look at the love at the beginning of this semi final showdown.

And you've got ninja legend, Fred Dorrington there

and he was at their wedding, of course.

Who is he going to cheer on, this could be interesting.

Well, Lisa played a big part in his back recovery,

so he might be leaning towards her.

I don't know, Leila.

It's champion pole vault versus a barista.

Eddie in his hipster shirt.

He is one of the heaviest ninjas in the semis,

which can work against him,

but whatever happens,

this is fraught with peril as far as I'm concerned.

We're going to see if chivalry is alive,

or if chivalry does not exist in Ninja.

Well they say it's death 'till us part,

but on Ninja Warrior,

they will part on the semi final course,

because only one of them can go through to the Grand Final,

while the other one will be left at the altar

and it looks like we've got a runaway groom here.

It's Eddie onto the Log Dash first.

Got to go quickly here, get across if you can, Lisa.

Really setting herself for what's ahead.

Yes, she's across. Come on, Lisa.

Geez, there's always going to be camaraderie here.

The bed will be cold tonight.

Eddie was just click clacking away on the Salmon Ladder

and he's off to the rings. There comes Lisa.

Look at that strength. Wow.

Boy, she's impressive. She is a force.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Chivalry, for the moment,

is certainly on its last heartbeat here in Australia,

'cause Eddie is flying.

Isn't he? Lisa, getting across the Rings,

she doesn't have the same reach.

Eddie already heading for the first Wing Nut.

He's on,

as Lisa scrambles across the Rings.

But here she is, heading for the Wing Nuts.

Can she catch him?

Lisa's moving, you can see her coming up the back here,

she's coming up, she's coming up.

Can she force Eddie to make a mistake here?

I tell you what, I feel for Eddie.

This is a tough spot to be in. I mean, what is he doing?

Is he going to destroy his relationship over Ninja, really?

They are going to leave Sydney Olympic Park

at Sydney Olympic Park.

It's kind of like Vegas,

what happens at Ninja stays at Ninja.

Yeah, exactly, it's just like Vegas. OK.

Or is he just going to wait for her here?

Here he goes.

No, he is heading up the wall and Lisa...

Oh, no, he's got it on the first attempt.

Is he going to hit the buzzer? Is he going to hit the...

Oh, he did it!

Oh, he's done it.

Oh, you're in trouble, my man, you're in real trouble.

No, camaraderie there, he's not waiting for her to press the button.

Oh no, he's waiting for her at the top.

He's waiting for her at the top.

Well she can't make it to the Grand Final now,

but Eddie looks like he wants to see her up the wall.

This is what you call a relationship compromise.

Eddie might be chivalrous,

but he is burning time

and that Grand Final advantage is slipping away.

Yay! Yes!

Lisa Campbell, up the wall!

Nice, OK. Oh...

..love is still alive... All right.

..here at Australian Ninja Warrior.

What a moment.

Couples that climb the wall together stay together.

Well done. Congratulations.

But he's got to make up that lost time now.

Eddie Burrill, here we go.

Eddie on the Double Dipper,

he's got good control and he's across and yes!

Yes!

Straight under the net. You little ripper,

on the Double Dipper, as he heads to the Beehive.

Right side of the second beehive.

Given some veterans support, our Season One champion here.

Now this will be interesting.

This course looks tough to beat

and Eddie gave up a lot of time for Lisa at the Warped Wall,

but he's also had a breather.

If he can complete the course,

he'll be in the number one spot and take the Grand Final advantage.

He just needs to get through the Beehive and the Dragon's Back.

He's landed that and spins it, locks it in.

Let's go!

Lisa's caught up, this might give him some extra motivation.

Yes!

No!

Oh, he is in the drink.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

But he is through to the Grand Final with his relationship still intact.

I'm going to be honest,

at the start of that obstacle,

I thought you'd slow down a little bit for Lisa.

I was yeah, honestly,

I just went into full zen mode and I kind of...

I love you Lise,

but I didn't have any regard for where she was at that time.

(LAUGHTER)

And you understand that, Lise,

I mean, all is fair in love, war and Ninja Warrior.

Absolutely.

I mean, we're in competition in general.

It was nice to like, get up the wall first go

and then like, have Eddie like, cheering for me as well,

that was really sweet. Yeah.

Well, Eddie Burrill, everybody, into a Grand Final for Ninja Warrior.

Thanks, Lise, well done. Thank you.

JIM: Eddie's into that Grand Final,

but he had to do a lot of digging, Leila as well,

to make sure everything is good on the home front.

Looks like he's survived that aspect.

LEILA: Now from the sideline to the start line.

Next up is Lisa and Eddie's good friend and legendary ninja,

Fred Dorrington.

He is up against newcomer, Christopher Tang.

FRED: The ninja verse ninja leads us to a full elimination,

so one of us isn't going through.

You know, I'm going to do my best to keep him away.

I've got, you know, five years of experience doing this.

Yeah, I've made the Grand Final in all seasons that I've competed in

and it's a record I'd love to keep up.

I've put in so much time, it's my main focus in life.

Not competing last year, huge injury,

broke my back, so I really want that Grand Final spot again.

I've put in a lot of work,

but I know Chris is a strong competitor,

he's very fast, he's very powerful. You're impressive.

Some of the moves you're throwing down are huge.

LEILA: Christopher Tang, look at the power on that swing.

My advantage over Fred is I can go pretty fast.

The big flying obstacle is going to link him pretty well.

I've got some speed.

I've trained a fair bit,

but there's nothing like being on the actual course itself,

so pretty scary. (LAUGHS)

I think Fred might have a bit of an edge,

just 'cause of the experience, but I know I'm strong,

so I know if I give it my all, I've got a good chance.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

All right, it's a real tale of opposites here,

we've got Fred Dorrington who obviously won the first season,

he's a legend of the course.

Christopher Tang, brand-new.

He looks composed though.

Personally, I'm a bit suss on Dorrington

with those performance enhancing titanium rods in his back,

but I've reported him to the relevant authorities.

JIM: It's do or die.

Look at the focus and determination on Fred's face.

(CHIME SOUNDS)

LEILA: Here we go - Fred Dorrington, Christopher Tang.

The newbie up against a legend.

There's nothing in it as they launch to the trapeze bar.

Fred ever so slightly in the lead.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Look at this incredible pace. That was speedy.

They are neck and neck.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Fred's wasting no time.

Quickly up onto the Salmon Ladder

and he'll be headed for the Ring Toss.

The Flamingo Ninja not far behind.

This is unbelievable -

the first-time ninja taking on this ninja legend.

He's keeping up with him.

Fred Dorrington is off and he's looking fast.

Christopher Tang is pushing hard all the way.

What a race!

Fred, he's got a slight edge here as he spans out, but look at this -

Chris Tang spanning himself, and he's taken the lead!

Oh, look at this! What a run!

Fred Dorrington's taken it back.

Both on the Warped Wall. Here we go.

Fred's heading up! Can Fred do it?

Fred's done it first time! He's there!

He's there, and does he get the buzzer?

He's got the buzzer! Wow!

Oh, my goodness! That was so close! Unbelievable!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

What are we seeing in these head-to-head battles?

Fred, great job!

Unbelievable!

Christopher Tang, take a bow. What a race!

That was incredible!

Incredibly fast too, Leila.

Look at the splits on there.

Fred hit that buzzer in 57 seconds.

Makes him the fastest run to the Warped Wall tonight.

Fred the legend is through to the grand final.

Can he make it up to the Crow's Nest?

That's what we're about to find out.

OK, here we go.

The Double Dipper - he's across.

Yes, on the cargo net. That's one down.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) You got it, Fred!

The Beehive, his next obstacle.

Put it in perspective.

Told, "You might not walk again," a little over a year ago,

and now here you are on obstacle eight - the Beehive.

Guaranteed a spot in the grand final,

but can he take the grand final advantage from Mr Draper?

Come on, Fred. Let's go, Fred.

Come on. Stick it! Stick it!

Yes! Yes!

He hit the other honeycomb, he gets so much momentum.

Lands it! Fred Dorrington!

This man is a legend for a reason.

What an almighty return to the Ninja Warrior course.

Fred's now ten seconds faster than Mr Draper, the current leader,

but can he make it all the way to the top?

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

There he goes. Wow!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Skips a few steps on the way up

and he's about to slide down to the bungee.

Hold on! Hold on, Fred.

And he gets up to the next step too.

He's making great time, Leila.

Come on, Fred. You're nearly there.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Oh, the tension is unbelievable! Yes!

Yes, Fred Dorrington is across the Dragon's Back!

He is heading up to the Crow's Nest.

He's gonna be the first ninja to complete the course.

Come on, Freddy!

Keep going, Freddy! Keep going, Freddy!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

This is an incredible run, and look at his time.

(KLAXON BLARES)

Well done, Fred! Yes!

Fred Dorrington slays the dragon!

He's the first ninja to finish the course tonight

and now he holds the grand final advantage.

Unbelievable! Well done, Fred Dorrington.

He's into another grand final

and laid down the time to beat - 4:17.

This is amazing.

Fred Dorrington and Christopher Tang

delivered the fastest race tonight so far,

but it was Fred who had the edge and the stamina

to be the first ninja tonight to slay the dragon

and make it all the way up to the Crow's Nest.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Freddy Dorrington! There he is!

Boys! The man with the titanium back.

I just heard you saying there, before we walked over here,

this is why you do it.

Why do you do it, Fred?

Oh, the exhilaration of hitting the buzzer,

and just, you know, it's a thrill, it's nerve-racking,

it's daunting, it's intimidating - it's all those things,

but we gotta rise to challenges and we gotta push through,

and we'll see the benefits if we do.

Mate, let's talk about the race. Chris Tang.

Chris!

It's his first time on the course.

Mate, I had to pull out a couple of the shortcut moves

to try and get through that.

I could see him getting ahead of me

and I went... I had to change momentum mid-wingnut,

and it was, like, "Hope this works!"

Beautiful! Well, there you go!

The man with the titanium back, Fred Dorrington, is back!

He's into another grand final!

Round of applause for Fred Dorrington, everybody!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

As the only ninja

to complete the course,

Fred Dorrington tops the leaderboard

and currently holds

the second chance advantage.

Eddie Burrill also joins

what's turning out to be a stellar line-up for the grand final.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: After the break,

our four brave celebrities are put to the test...

I'm not gonna lie, I'm pretty nervous.

This is a little bit different to a boxing ring.

..putting their bodies on the line...

Ahh!

What did I do wrong? Everything.

..when they take on the course for charity.

I would so love to hit the buzzer on Ninja Warrior!

There's not that many people that can say that they have done that.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Welcome back to Sydney Olympic Park,

and I've really been looking forward to this, Leila.

It's the Australian Ninja Warrior Celebrity Challenge.

Yes, this is where we give our ninjas a chance to catch their breath

while we let some celebrities loose on the obstacle course.

Last time in the Australian Ninja Warrior Celebrity Challenge,

we were in awe of their moves.

Emily Seebohm made short work of the dominos.

She's over!

Archie Thompson amazed us with his athleticism.

He's even got the twerk moves!

And singer-songwriter Jack Vidgen managed to hit the high note.

You're kidding me! Come on! Come on!

Jack Vidgen!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Hit the buzzer!

(KLAXON BLARES)

(LAUGHTER)

And we are about to do it again.

Tonight, it's a battle royal.

Two pairs of celebrities - one male pair and one female pair -

will race down exactly the same course

our ninjas are running tonight.

Television personality and former model Kyly Clarke

is taking on 'Love Island' winner and social media star Tayla Damir.

And in the men's race,

we've got AFL legend and Richmond hero Nathan Brown

racing alongside Olympic boxing medallist

and Australian lightweight title holder Harry Garside.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Now, there's more than just pride at stake here.

The furthest fastest from our celebrity ninja racers

will each score $10,000 for their nominated charity,

and to help them get across the line,

each one of the four celebrities

has been paired up with some ninja legends.

Tayla's coach is two-time grand finalist Jake Baker,

Kyly has the first and only person

to be crowned an Australian Ninja Warrior, Ben Polson.

Nathan Brown has four-time grand finalist Mike Snow...

..and in Harry Garside's corner,

the fastest ninja around, 'Flashlin' Ashlin Herbert.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

OK, let's see how the coaches

and the celebrity ninjas fared in training.

Look, I do have little chicken arms,

but I'm hoping that they will hold on for dear life.

Right, left. Yeah.

I've always thought, "Wow, these people are incredible.

"There's no way I would get up there and be able to do that."

Yes! (LAUGHS)

And now look at me. (LAUGHS)

I'm gonna win Ninja Warrior! (LAUGHTER)

Tonight I'm up against Kyly Clarke.

She's got a six-pack, for starters.

Her arms definitely have the muscles that I don't.

Almost. Almost.

I can't do a monkey bar to save my life.

So, I definitely did not think I'd be able to do a lache -

I think that's how you say it.

Yeah!

Blisters already. My first ninjury. Soldiering on.

I have seen my competition.

She's hot, sexy, and younger than me. (LAUGHS)

It's gonna be tough, but I've got a fire in my belly,

and I am so determined nothing's gonna stop me.

Let's get the buzzer going. Let's get the party started.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

OK, ready to go are Kyly Clarke and Tayla Damir.

Easy obstacles!

Coaches Jake and Ben watching on.

They both told me they're very worried about the first few steps.

They just don't want to go down early.

(CHIME SOUNDS)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

They are off, and they're not fast.

Remember, these are the Sprinting Steps.

(LAUGHTER)

We have not seen this before.

This is the lunging steps, not the Sprinting Steps.

Hang on there. Hang on! Oh, oh, come on, Kyly! Ahh, ahh!

There you go. Yes!

Alright.

Oooh, look at Tayla go straight onto the trapeze.

Kyly not too far behind her.

Oh, wow, graceful! That was, like, a Catwoman sort of a thing.

They are on to obstacle three!

Alright, taking their time as they get onto the Log Dash.

A little bit of a duck walk, you know?

Get the feet a little spread wide.

Don't go straight. Taking their time.

Arms up in the air.

You see a lot of the expert ninjas doing that.

Oh, oh, oh, they're over! Dive for it! Yes!

Here we go - the Salmon Ladder to Ring Toss.

You know what to do. Jump up when you're ready. Big jump.

The celebrities don't have to jump the bar up the Salmon Ladder.

They will use it, though, to get on to the Ring Toss.

WOODY: And Kyly's on first.

If they both fall off here, Kyly wins.

How good are these celebrities? Amazing!

I mean, this obstacle demands

you have grip, core, and forearm strength.

They are working hard!

Kyly has those rings in her sight, but Tayla's taken the lead.

She's on to the first ring, but here comes Kyly.

Now it's about momentum.

Can you get that swing?

A lot of intensity there on our obstacle four.

This just shows how hard the course really is,

and our ninjas make it look so easy.

Wow! Jeez, Kyly's strong! Oooh!

Have a look at the abs on her. Wild!

OK, Kyly has clawed her way back and she is swing for swing with Tayla.

They're both seemingly stuck here as they try and go up the rings.

One of them needs to get it on. Oh! Oooh!

Tayla! Get it back up!

Oh, back to home base for Tayla. Back to home base.

They're hanging tough. For how much longer, though?

(AUDIENCE EXCLAIMS)

Oooh, Kyly's down!

And because Kyly got to this obstacle first,

Tayla has to complete.

Come on, Tayla! Come on, Tayla!

Go for a swing! Yes!

Here we go! Ohh!

Oh, there she goes! Tayla doesn't complete.

Because Kyly got on first,

that means Kyly Clarke is the winner of our celebrity ninja race,

and what a great effort from both of them.

It is so much harder to do that than you think.

OK, do not adjust your sets.

This is some super slow-motion of some super slow motion.

Back to you, Will and Woody.

Wowee! Two amazing women!

Oh, no, Kyly! No! Ohh!

Perfect. Perfect. Thanks, ladies.

Kyly Clarke, congratulations.

You are the winner

of the Australian Ninja Warrior Celebrity Challenge for the girls.

Talk to us a little bit about your charity, Kyly.

My charity is Barnardos.

So, it's all about helping children that are in an unsafe environment

and finding them a place to be, where they can be very comfortable.

Great stuff, mate. 10,000 bucks for them.

Congratulations.

Another round of applause for our winner

in the Australian Ninja Warrior Celebrity Challenge tonight.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Alright, it's the guys' turn.

First up, he played over 200 AFL games

with the Western Bulldogs and Richmond...

..kicking 349 goals in his epic career,

Nathan Brown!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

And running the course against Nathan,

winner of Australia's first boxing medal at the Olympics

for over 30 years.

He took bronze in Tokyo. It's Harry Garside.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

There's their coaches, Mike Snow and Flashlin Ashlin.

He was always X-factor on the football field, Brownie.

He's gonna bring it again right now,

or will Harry try to knock him out?

Gee, that'd be funny.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

OK, obstacle one is the Sprinting Steps.

Just reiterating that speed is what we want to see.

(CHIME SOUNDS) Here we go.

Harry looking good.

Nathan's got a big lead on, but recovers.

Whoa, Nathan barely got there, but he did.

A little wobbly, but look -

he's gone straight to the Launchpad to Trapeze.

No hesitation. He takes the lead. Harry trailing.

Whoa!

Jeez, Harry had a bit of a stack there.

He just hung on a bit long there, but he's up and heading to obstacle two.

This will be a challenge - the Log Dash.

The Log... oh, no!

Look at them, taking their sweet time.

Straighten up that posture! Knees bent!

Arms out! Yes! ASHLIN: Come on! Go, go, go!

Come on, guys!

Come on! Dive for it! Yes! Oh, yes! Nathan's across!

This is fantastic! Come on, Harry.

Nathan is making some serious progress,

and he's furthest fastest so far up to the Salmon Ladder.

Oh, this is where it starts to get super tricky, though, isn't it?

Look at this. These boys, they are doing a good job.

Now, this is where Kyly and Tayla got stuck.

There's a little round knob on the peg,

so they have to lift the ring up and over it.

It's all technique and timing in the swing.

It's neck and neck.

Now, you gotta get one of them off the peg.

Oh, come on, Nathan!

Oh, no! He's in the water. Ohh! Brownie!

Harry's looking good up there,

and he has to complete this obstacle to win.

And there he goes - he's making progress.

He's gotta get that left ring up and off.

There we go! There we go.

One at a time, big fella. One at a time.

Boxer Harry Garside used to being in the ring.

Not so much ON them, but he's looking good.

Just a little bit of trouble getting the ring up and over,

but he's got it now.

Come on, Harry!

His timing will have to be perfect to make the gap.

Oh, he's in trouble.

Oh, he's gone! Whoa!

Ohh! Harry, you dog!

Well done, boys.

Nathan, though, got to the obstacle first.

So, he takes the win.

Just goes to show -

an Olympian and pro footballer can't even complete this brutal course.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

The boys! Here we are - the boys!

How about it?

I tell you what, better than expected, boys.

We went OK. Wobbly in the first one.

I was worried I was gonna come out early, but Harry did great.

Yeah, you were good, Harry.

You were both incredibly slow

on some... on steps that are called the Sprinting Steps.

You boys were going in slow-motion, Harry.

Slow and steady wins the race. That's exactly right.

Alright, so, tonight was all about $10,000 towards a charity,

and, Nathan Brown, that was you, my friend!

Well done! Congratulations, Brownie! Good stuff!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Who's the money going towards again?

It's going to Empower Australia.

They supply food to the most vulnerable in our society,

and they're a great organisation, Empower Australia.

Alrighty, make some noise for Nathan Brown and Harry Garside!

Yes! Well done, boys.

Great work, fellas.

Well done, guys.

Congratulations to the winners of the Celebrity Challenge,

who won $10,000 for their chosen charities -

Nathan Brown for Empower and Kyly Clarke for Barnardos.

Australia, don't move a muscle,

'cause after the break, the ninjas return,

and every one of them is hungry for a spot in our grand final.

We'll see you soon.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS)

Coming up, the big guns take aim at Fred Dorrington,

who currently holds the grand final advantage.

It's crucial, it's crucial.

You have a second life in the grand final.

It's the most valuable thing to me,

'cause I've been known to slip up in the finals.

WOMAN: Could be the difference between going home,

or going home with a lot of money.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: Welcome back to the Australian Ninja Warrior semifinals,

where it's a race to smash the Warped Wall buzzer.

Get there first and you're into the grand final.

Seven ninjas have survived the knock-out races to make it through

in what is proving to be a night of intense head-to-head racing,

with plenty of thrills and spills.

(KLAXON BLARES)

LEILA: Including Matt Mosca,

a rope access technician from the Gold Coast

and first-time ninja,

who squared up to teenager 'Dreadlochie' Lochie Lydom.

Lochie got the wobbles early on and couldn't recover...

Oh, no! Lochie's out!

(AUDIENCE EXCLAIMS)

..which left Matt to muscle his way through the course.

This is not a classical ninja run.

This is the story of my life - ugly but effective on the run.

With plenty of support from the sidelines...

Put your hips into it! Let's go!

..Matt made it all the way to the Beehive.

Ohh! What a run, though.

The sting of the blow softened by the knowledge

this debutant ninja is into the grand final.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

But tonight isn't just about beating your opponent,

because, thanks to Energizer,

the ninja who goes furthest fastest

will win themselves a second-chance advantage

in the grand final,

where, if you fail a stage, you have the power to re-run the course.

It could be the ultimate game-changer.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

So, hold on tight. Things are about to ramp up.

It's time to get back to the semifinal action.

Our next pair of ninjas finished top ten in their heats,

so you know they're capable of putting on the afterburners,

and when it comes to entertaining the crowd,

these two are pure rockstars.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

He's 18.

He builds guitars,

and he's ready to crank the volume all the way up to 11.

It's Brisbane student Kahil Evans.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

And it's the man from Melbourne we know and love.

He is a Tourette's syndrome ambassador

and he's looking to make his first grand final in four attempts.

Let's welcome 'Twitch'!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

There is Luke Schmitzer,

already into the grand final

and back out to give some support to his mentor.

Twitch has never made it to the grand final.

He is ready to break the curse,

but he's up against newcomer Kahil,

who's also hungry for the win.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

The grand final awaits...

..he who goes furthest fastest.

(CHIME SOUNDS)

OK, off they go over the eight Sprinting Steps.

Side by side.

This side-by-side racing creates extra pressure.

Twitch just up ahead onto the trapeze...

..but Kahil first onto the Log Dash.

Twitch stepping back to get some speed,

and he's done it quickly.

Two very different approaches there. Yes.

Twitch is onto the Salmon Ladder first by half a second.

This is tight!

They're about even on the Salmon Ladder.

Doesn't get closer than this.

Wow, they're both so good overhead.

Will the experience from Twitch matter here?

Look at Kahil! Rapid fire, one peg at a time!

It is efficient, but here comes Twitch, nice and smooth,

but it's Kahil off first.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

We have a race on here.

We have a battle on here at Sydney Olympic Park!

Wow!

Ninja Twitch first onto the Wingnuts, but Kahil's not very far behind him.

Twitch on number two! Kahil's on number two!

Oh, this is a race! Different technique here too.

Twitch just going straight on with the lateral.

Not doing the lateral - he's on to it!

And he's first to the Warped Wall, and look at this -

Kahil making a dash for it!

They're both going up the Warped Wall.

Twitch is gonna get it! Twitch is up!

Twitch got it at the final moment on the Wall!

Unbelievable!

Come on!

And he's cheering Kahil on! He hasn't hit the buzzer yet.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Hit the buzzer, Twitch!

He knows he's losing time against the clock -

15 seconds so far - but he wants to see Kahil get up the wall.

One of my favourite ninjas cheering on his opponent.

Ninja Twitch, what a star,

and he's finally achieved what he's always wanted.

After four attempts,

Twitch has made his first grand final.

Oh, it was incredible!

What sportsmanship, but that sportsmanship cost him time.

He could have been ahead of Fred if he didn't wait for Kahil.

He's gonna need to make up some time on the Double Dipper.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

And what a ride ahead. Here he goes.

Knocks it down. Onto the cargo net.

Nice! He's looking good, the Twitch!

Looking solid,

but he's still at least 20 seconds behind Fred at this point.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) There's no pressure!

Come on, you got this! You got this!

And there's Luke's protege, Luke Schmitzer,

giving words of encouragement.

He's happy they've both made it through to the grand final,

but Twitch could also take with him the second chance advantage

if he can make up some time on the Beehive.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Look at that power!

Look at that flight! My goodness!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

And look at the face! He is having a blast!

He loves it!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Oh, nails that! Wow! What a catch!

That is so difficult and they make it look incredibly easy.

Yes! And he's down!

And he is across to the Dragon's Back.

(LAUGHS) Rock'n'roll!

Just the third ninja of the night to get to here.

Last season, this beast was a killer.

Being the last obstacle, it is so much harder this year.

Can he slay the dragon?

Ninja Twitch has this. Come on!

Get up the Dragon's Back.

And he's so close.

Just two more hops and he's at the top.

Yes! Come on!

Just slide down to the bungees and he's there!

Alright, here he goes.

Oh! Oh, no!

(AUDIENCE EXCLAIMS)

But Dragon's Back claims another victim in Ninja Twitch!

That was brutal!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

But this is Twitch's first time in a grand final.

He must be feeling absolutely terrific.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Twitch was at his best across the Wingnuts.

The lead had changed hands a few times,

but it was here that he stamped his authority.

He showed incredible sportsmanship,

encouraging Kahil to get up that Warped Wall.

Twitch is a one-of-a-kind ninja, a superstar!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

WILL: Here with the Twitch Ninja!

Congratulations out there!

Hey, mate, what happened on the Dragon?

You were so close to slaying it!

I, um... the forearms were just going,

and as soon as I went down on the bungees,

it was just enough to peel me off.

I gave it everything. I'm stoked, man. I really am.

I can see that! I think everyone can see it.

You were doing these ones to the camera the whole time.

I couldn't help it, man!

It's just... I need a bit of noise, so it was...

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let's get a bit of noise out for the Twitch!

Can you feel it?!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Twitch and Schnitzel -

the master and the apprentice there.

Both through to the grand final.

What a night of semifinal action this has been,

and we're just warming up.

Now it's time to meet our next pair.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Up next, we have one of the biggest match-ups of the night -

four times grand finalist and ninja legend Bryson Klein

won the Power Pool in his heat,

and that gave him the right to choose his opponent.

(KLAXON BLARES)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS)

But his decision will greatly affect his chances

of making it through to the grand final.

Bryson Klein, who are you gonna be choosing?

I've chosen... Aurelien! (LAUGHS)

(ALL EXCLAIM)

Wowee!

Our German ninja! Aurelien! (APPLAUSE)

How you feeling, Aurelien?

I'm feeling ready. (WHOOPING)

I've gotta get all my German power out there.

(LAUGHTER)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS)

I ended up choosing Aurelien

because I didn't want to choose someone

who's, like, right at the top

because that would be shooting myself in the foot.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: Alright, but this one

is certainly gonna be difficult for him.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC CONTINUES)

AURELIEN: He doesn't know me.

I think he's just trying to get his biggest advantage.

I've only run once.

You have no idea how I am.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC CONTINUES)

Whoo! Yeah!

(DRAMATIC MUSIC CONTINUES)

Aurelien is very, very confident,

and that makes me very uncomfortable.

I've been known to make a few silly mistakes in the past,

but choosing Aurelien could be the biggest mistake I've ever made.

Never seen a ninja like me. I'm ready to fight.

Don't go anywhere, Australia.

Bryson takes on Aurelien after the break.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: Welcome back to Sydney Olympic Park.

Before the break,

Bryson Klein used his Power Pool advantage from the heats

to pick his opponent.

He chose Aurelien. Has he chosen wisely?

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

LEILA: Bryson walking out with a bit of a strut.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Come on, son! Go well!

Fiancee Jemma there watching on the sideline.

And chosen by Bryson,

give it up for German-born ninja who now calls Australia home,

Aurelien Schibli!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(LEILA LAUGHS) German, you say?

(LAUGHS) Hard to tell.

WILL: Aurelien might be Schibli,

but he's certainly not sheepish.

Have a look at those suspenders!

Totally wild!

Anyway, look, there's a bit of camaraderie between these two,

but also a little bit of vindictiveness,

because at the end of the day, Bryson Klein chose Aurelien,

which is pretty much a, "I think I can beat you."

Let's see if he can turn the tables on him.

It's the German versus Bryson right now.

Has Bryson made the wrong decision?

His dream of conquering Mount Midoriyama is on the line here.

(CHIME SOUNDS) There they go!

Here goes Bryson Klein. He's gonna get off first.

Oooh, they are moving quickly!

It's a fast start to a fast course,

as they head straight across to the Log Dash.

Look at Bryson go!

Oh, Aurelien! Oh!

Oh! He's hanging on!

He's using all his German power.

He's fighting hard, trying to get up, stay out of the water.

He's up!

The German saved it!

He's still alive.

Unbelievable! And Bryson is on to the Ring Toss.

Aurelien's mistake has given Bryson a massive lead.

Jeez, it would have taken a lot out of him to hold on to that log.

Bryson has a huge lead now as well.

And Aurelien just getting going,

trying to get up the Salmon Ladder,

while we see Bryson already on to the Wingnuts.

This is a fast run.

Look at that swing, Leila. My goodness.

Look at the power in that lateral lache as he's on the second Wingnut.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

This guy's so calm, so comfortable!

Bryson is on fire here!

On the third Wingnut.

Bryson's left Aurelien hanging, and he's heading for the Warped Wall.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Yep. Oh, he's missed!

These head-to-head races are exhausting.

We've seen so many Warped Wall misses from experienced ninjas.

He's got the "beat the wall" chant ringing in his ears,

as he tries to get across,

and Bryson Klein, he's up the wall!

He's hit the buzzer! (KLAXON BLARES)

Bryson's Power Pool advantage has paid off,

and he is through to the grand final!

Yeah, baby! Getting used to hitting that buzzer.

He's pumped! So are we.

I love the way he struts!

If you were that good, you would too.

I would! I would have some strut on me if I was any good!

You are that good, and you do have that kind of strut.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

He's been in a grand final four times.

Into his fifth grand final, but he's racing the clock.

He'll wanna move here.

You're right, Woody.

Bryson's trailing Fred by 13 seconds,

and he needs a smooth exit on the Double Dipper

if he wants to make up some time and grab that advantage.

Nice dismount. Done with obstacle seven.

Next up is the Beehive.

The clock is ticking.

I have never seen Bryson so gassed,

but he is pushing through

and is slowly closing the gap with Fred.

Only seven seconds behind him now.

Let's see if he can make up some more time on the Beehive.

Can he stick this transfer and then hit the 270?

Yes, he can

Oh! Oooh!

Bryson struggling there to lock it in.

You can really see he's tiring now, Jim.

Do you reckon he's got enough in him to make it to the next grab?

Here it comes. You ready for it?

There it was. He's made it!

He lost a few seconds trying to lock in that second Beehive.

He's got to dismount quickly, and there it is,

but that grand final advantage is slipping further away.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

You've got to slay this Dragon's Back, and it is a monster.

Given me a look there. He looks super tired.

Time to slay the dragon, though.

It's time, Woody.

Can this ninja superstar -

two-time runner-up and four-time grand finalist -

slay this dragon?

Oh, he just popped two. Nicely done!

That was quick, and here comes the slide onto the bungee.

Gotta have a little bit of give in your elbows.

Bryson's gotta move!

He's only got about 34 seconds

to make his way up to the top of the Crow's Nest

if he wants to claim that advantage.

(AUDIENCE EXCLAIMS) No!

(BUZZER SOUNDS) No!

This thing has been a first-class ninja killer.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Good run from Bryson Klein.

He's one of the best, but that just goes to show

how incredible Fred's run was

and how hard it's gonna be to beat.

But congratulations to Bryson Klein.

We'll be seeing him in his fifth grand final.

And commiserations to Aurelien.

Will's with him on the sidelines now.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Aurelien, mate, hell of a run there.

You just came undone on the log. Can you talk us through that move?

You were like 'The Exorcist' underneath that thing.

AURELIEN: Yeah, I mean, I knew that you have to catch on straight away,

but I think I waited too long.

I should have just gone for it.

Mate, I know that you also...

..you managed to get engaged in between the heats and the semis.

Quick shout-out to your fiancee while she's over there.

Yes, Amy, you're the love of my life,

and I'm so excited to get married to you very soon.

Not in this.

Not in this.

(LAUGHS) But in this.

Oh, ho! (LAUGHS)

Great stuff, mate! Thank you.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Bryson sent Aurelien packing

and earned himself

one of 12 spots in the grand final,

but he didn't do enough

to knock Fred Dorrington

off the top of the leaderboard.

Will anyone catch Fred

and claim that crucial advantage?

Stay with us,

as the final two knock-out races promise to be a thriller,

including our favourite "50s Ninja', Robert Ciccarelli

taking on three-time grand finalist Jordan Papandrea.

And it's a tussle for gold

between Olympic gymnasts Olivia Vivian and Georgia Bonora.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior,

where tonight, we've seen a brutal cull of our ninjas,

as they race head to head for the first time.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Well, tonight, speed is the name of the game,

and one of these ninjas is about to run into a grand final.

It's triple grand finalist Jordan Papandrea

up against the '50s-loving first-time ninja

20-year-old Robert Ciccarelli!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Well, I think it's about time to find out

who the real Italian stallion is.

(ALL EXCLAIM AND LAUGH)

I've got one thing for you, mate! Hey!

(LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE)

(FUNKY JIVE MUSIC)

I don't just have a passion for '50s, '60s music.

One of my other big passions is fencing.

I've managed to get on the Australian team.

A positive from fencing is my hand-eye coordination

and being light on my feet.

I'm very familiar and comfortable with going head to head,

because I know, when people are under pressure,

nerves and anxiety force them to make mistakes.

As long as I stay calm and centre myself,

then I could absolutely make it all the way to the grand finals.

This is my year.

As a three-time grand finalist,

I know what it takes to hit that buzzer first,

but last season, for that not to be the case...

BEN FORDHAM: Here's the Double Dipper!

Hold it! Hold it! (HOSTS EXCLAIM)

That hurt, and I need to be back there.

I want it badly, but I keep making silly mistakes

which come at the cost of me making it to the grand final,

and you know, I have so much more to prove.

(BUZZER SOUNDS)

There's only one option here, and winning is it.

So, that buzzer, I'm coming for it.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Got it, Rob!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

LEILA: Jordan is looking for redemption this year,

but will his experience in three previous grand finals be enough?

WILL: Alright, so, Jordan Papandrea, Robert Ciccarelli.

Two great-looking roosters, Woods!

What would you like to smear them on?

Uh... a bagel, for mine. A bagel. Beautiful.

Let's see how they go. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Well, after this race, one of them will be toast.

JIM: Jordan came tenth in his heat, while Robert came 16th,

both falling on the Anaconda.

It's sudden death. It's ninja versus ninja.

Here we go - Robert Ciccarelli slightly behind

the more experienced Jordan Papandrea.

Jordan with the lead, but Robert's not far behind.

The fencer should be good with the balance obstacle of the Log Dash.

Jordan dives.

Oh! Oooh!

Oh, Robert's gonna have to squirrel crawl across.

He's gonna do it, but he's losing time.

Can he stay out of the water? Yes, he can.

The Cic! (LAUGHS)

The pressure is playing havoc with the ninjas tonight.

Jordan extending his lead as he gets to the Ring Toss.

Can he catch him on the rings?

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Now, look at Jordan, just smooth and easy,

as Robert's just forcing his way up the Salmon Ladder,

trying desperately to catch up.

He's gonna have to hurry.

Jordan is in good form, and he is on to the Wingnuts.

He is heading for the first Wingnut, and...

Oh, no! Ohh!

Oh, not quite spanning across to that first one.

Recovers well.

Oh, and Robert's down! Oh, he's down!

He's into the water.

He's in!

The jeans! Those jeans got wet.

The fencer just couldn't hold on.

Now Jordan is racing the clock.

He must beat Fred Dorrington's time of 4:17.

He's at the Warped Wall. Up he goes.

Oh, a big two-handed reach, and he's got it!

He does it easily.

Jordan came for redemption, and he got it!

He's into the grand final!

Well done. Still more work to do. How you feeling?

Little better. Feeling better now?

Got more in the tank. OK, alright.

He's on his way to the grand final. He is feeling fine.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Hey, Jordy!

Alright, here he goes.

He's made it through to the grand final.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Time is of the essence.

Mixed grip. Let's go.

Yes! Oh, yes! You little ripper!

Beautifully done! Endurance is a real factor now.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Take your time, buddy! Take your time, mate.

Jordan slayed the Double Dipper.

Can he beat Fred and take the grand final advantage?

There's four seconds in it.

This one has been challenging in the past.

Ninjas struggled a little bit.

Wow! Wow!

He is a powerful ninja. Over to number three.

What a catch!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

This is impressive.

Yes, nails the dismount.

Jordan is smashing the clock.

He's now 12 seconds ahead of Fred.

Fast matters, but you also have to finish.

And you can see how fatigued he is.

Come on, Jordan!

Yeah, Jords!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

The Dragon's Back does not care about the applause.

It demands excellence, strength, agility.

What do you got? Show us, Jordan Papandrea.

Here we go - obstacle nine, the Dragon's Back.

Oh, slightly uneven, but he recovers.

OK, let's get up the body of this dragon.

Whoa, skips a step.

Resets. Ooooh!

Struggling a little bit here.

4:17, the time to beat, but he has to complete first,

He's got control back. He's got it, Leila.

He's... oh, no! No!

I jinxed him. Oh, you jinxed him!

Cannot do that, Jim.

The curse of Jimbo,

as Jordan Papandrea heads into the pool

on the last obstacle, slayed by the dragon,

but through to the grand final.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Jordan Papandrea moved through the second part of the course

with clinical precision,

but fatigue set in on the Dragon's Back.

The right-hand side of the bar catches the dragon's spine,

and if that bar doesn't stay straight, this is the end result.

That was an impressive run, though.

He was on track to post the fastest time of the night,

but Fred Dorrington is still in pole position.

Jordan Papandrea! Hey, mate.

Through to another grand final, mate.

Let's talk us through the dragon here.

You didn't quite slay the dragon. What happened?

Oh, it slayed me, evidently.

Yeah, like, made a mistake,

and just that took twice the amount of energy.

That was my downfall, but you know what, mate, I'm happy to be here.

To be back in the grand final, mate, it feels like home.

So, I'm very, very happy.

Are you a chance to take this one home, Jordan Papandrea?

Mate, a lot more than last year.

Unreal. You're a great sportsman, mate.

And I gotta say, some people at home are happy you did fall in the pool,

because, gee, whiz, you look good wet!

Can we get a shot of Jordan Papandrea

with a bit of fluid on him?

Make some noise for Jordan Papandrea!

He's back into our grand final!

Great stuff, mate. Awesome work. Yeah, thanks, mate.

Well, Jordan Papandrea really knows how to thrill the crowd.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS)

Don't go anywhere. It's the final run of the night.

Olivia Vivian and Georgia Bonora are next.

Only one can survive.

A couple of seconds could make all the difference.

GEORGIA: I'm here to get into the finals.

I'm here to make it to the end.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC SWELLS)

LEILA: Welcome back to this thrilling semifinal

of Australian Ninja Warrior,

where our ninjas are going head to head

for a ticket to next week's grand final.

JIM: We've seen some incredible runs,

with legends and newcomers spurring each other on

in the race to the Warped Wall.

This next pairing is one I am totally pumped for.

Two of our strongest and most experienced female athletes,

both part of the most successful Australian Olympic gymnastics team,

but now facing off against each other.

It's Georgia Bonora versus

the might that is Olivia Vivian.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Yeah! Whoo!

(DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS)

Friends turn into enemies like that, don't they?

(DRAMATIC MUSIC CONTINUES)

Versing Liv is really terrifying.

She's done incredibly well.

BEN FORDHAM: Can she be the first female into the grand final?

REBECCA MADDERN: She is there! (KLAXON BLARES)

She's done it! Whoo!

You are remarkable, Olivia Vivian!

But I'm gonna go all out. I'm not gonna hold back.

I'm in to win.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

LEILA: Well, this is the knockout race we've been waiting for,

and a familiar face on the sideline.

Who's that, Jim?

That's a little part of the power couple,

Ben Polson, out to watch.

This is exciting.

Let's go, Liv!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Two amazing ninjas.

Both former Olympians,

and we'd love to see both in the grand final,

but this is the harsh reality of head-to-head racing -

only one can make it through.

The other, they'll be knocked out of the competition.

This race is huge.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

They both have so much competition experience.

They are not gonna fall out of nerves tonight.

(CHIME SOUNDS) Here we go, Sprinting Steps.

One, two, three... oh, they're across!

Oh! Oh, what just happened?

Georgia's fallen.

The pressure of this head-to-head course on our legendary ninjas

is unbelievable.

She just overstretched herself

and didn't have the distance to the platform.

Olivia's through to the grand final, but I can guarantee you this.

She will not take it easy,

and I have a suspicion

she'll use the freedom of knowing she's in the grand final

to go for broke.

She's got nothing to lose, and a grand final advantage to gain.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

This season, it's all about speed,

and Olivia was third fastest in her heat.

She looks fitter and faster than we have ever seen.

Boy, Olivia just burning up the track.

She's now racing the clock.

Bounces straight up, and she's heading for the Wingnuts.

Look at the span!

Olivia Vivian is on a flier. Look at her technique.

This is brilliant, and more importantly, it's fast.

She has just smashed those Wingnuts.

Oh, Wingnuts! More like Wing-nots!

Wing-not a problem for Olivia Vivian.

This is insanity for six obstacles.

This is the fastest we have ever seen

for Olivia Vivian to the Warped Wall by minutes!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

She has hit the buzzer in 1:17. (KLAXON BLARES)

That is incredible!

Stop whatever you're doing.

The queen of ninja is showing us how to get it done.

Obstacle seven of nine, the Double Dipper,

and Fred is in her sights.

She's just three seconds behind.

Come on, Olivia. You can do it.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Nice release, and again, she lands high up on the cargo net.

That was perfection!

This is what you wanted! Let's go!

She's four seconds slower than current leader Fred Dorrington,

but for how much longer?

Because Olivia does not look tired as she takes on the Beehive.

The word that comes to mind is 'efficient'.

She's so efficient!

She nails that. She's already done the 270.

On to the last lateral lache here,

and then she'll be heading up to the Dragon Back

if she can make the catch.

Oh, she does! Oh, she can make it!

She can make it, Jim!

If she completes this dismount -

which she does -

that's eight obstacles down and one final obstacle to go,

and she is still within striking distance of Fred Dorrington.

Up she goes. Mixed grip.

Oh, my goodness! That was a triple jump.

That is insanity!

How did she do that?

Olivia Vivian -

slaying the dragon, slaying the course.

Olivia is tearing this course to pieces,

but she has to complete the run

to get that grand final advantage from Fred.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Ohh! She's going up!

She's going up!

Oh, my goodness! Olivia and Fred are neck and neck.

This could not get any tighter!

There's nothing in this. Keep going, Olivia! Keep going!

Get to the buzzer! You can do it!

Olivia Vivian, you are more incredible than ever!

Boom! Goes the dynamite.

4:16! 4:16!

Olivia steals the grand final advantage.

Can she be the first female to win Ninja Warrior?

How does she make something this difficult look this easy?

We'll never know, but let's just stand and appreciate it.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Olivia Vivian is astounding!

Not only is Olivia Vivian furthest fastest tonight,

she's made Ninja Warrior history with a world first.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

This is the first time anywhere in the world

that a female ninja has been the furthest fastest in a semifinal.

Let that sink in for a second.

Olivia Vivian is an extraordinary athlete.

The ninja queen reigns supreme!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Let's have one final look at the 12 ninjas

who won their head-to-head tonight,

and have made it into the 2022 Australian Ninja Warrior grand final!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Teenagers Aiden Princena-White

and Luke Schmitzer

made the grand final on debut.

This shows you

how tough this course was.

Alex Bigg and Bryson Klein

not finishing at the top of the leaderboard,

and the new breed

made an impact tonight,

with five newbies

into the grand final.

And only two ninjas managed

to complete the semifinal course,

with Fred missing out on the top spot

by just a second.

And in her strongest performance ever,

Olivia added a new chapter

to ninja warrior history.

Put your hands together for the queen of ninja!

Congratulations to Olivia Vivian,

who picks up a grand final advantage thanks to Energizer.

This could see her climb Mount Midoriyama.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Next time, one of the greatest rivalries of all time...

MAN: I'm up against one of the fastest ninjas out there,

but I've got one thing to do,

and that's make it through to that grand final.

..may see a big name eliminated.

I cannot believe what we've just seen.

Ohh!

..as the stakes are raised, with unmissable match-ups.

Boss against the apprentice, brother against brother.

MAN: If you make a mistake, you're gone.

And knockout races...

This would be a massive upset!

(BOTH EXCLAIM)

..completely change the game.

Where did he come from? Oh, my goodness!

Oh, it's a photo finish!