Original subtitles

LEILA: Last night...

..the evolution of the semifinals...

JIM: First to the buzzer wins!

Can you believe it? That was unbelievable!

..saw ninjas race side by side... Wow! They are moving!

He's taken the lead! What a run! Oh, look at this!

(AUDIENCE EXCLAIMS)

..and knock their opponents out...

He's into the water.

..of the competition.

From behind! Wow!

Oh, my goodness! That was so close!

Only two ninjas could conquer the cranked-up course...

Fred Dorrington slays the dragon!

..and Olivia Vivian became the first female in the world

to win the semis.

Boom! Goes the dynamite.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE FADES)

(DRAMATIC DRUM BEATS)

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

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

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!

Ohh!

..completely changed the game.

Where did he come from? Oh, my goodness!

Oh, it's a photo finish!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

You are watching the Australian Ninja Warrior semifinals,

and it's already been our most heart-stopping season ever!

I'm Jim Courier. And I'm Leila McKinnon.

That's right, Jim - it is on here at Sydney Olympic Park.

Our ninjas have been on fire,

but what's really blown our minds is the attack of the teens.

Let me tell you, these teens, they've been slaying it.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

In last night's semifinal,

three teens books their place in the grand final,

and tonight six more young guns take to the course,

hoping to do the same.

But standing between all our ninjas

and a coveted spot in the grand final

is our semifinal head-to-head course.

It's an epic race, where it's ninja versus ninja

racing side by side.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Tonight's semifinal course starts with two ninjas

racing on six obstacles.

The first to the buzzer knocks out their opponent

and earns a ticket to the grand final,

but continues their run with three more obstacles.

Whoever completes the entire course the fastest in each of the semis

earns themselves a grand final advantage

thanks to Energizer.

It's our supersized semifinal course.

Let's take a closer look.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS)

The knockout race starts with the Sprinting Steps.

A fast start will apply early pressure.

Obstacle two is the Launchpad to Trapeze,

a 2.8-metre leap to the trapeze bar before flying down the zipline.

Next is a test of balance and precision with the Log Dash.

It looks simple, but racing head to head can force errors.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC SWELLS)

Obstacle four is the Salmon Ladder to Ring Toss.

Ninjas must jump up a minimum of two rungs.

Accuracy is vital, but tough under pressure.

The Ring Toss consists of two rings and eight pegs.

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

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Obstacle five is the Wing Nuts.

Ninjas have tackled the three Wing Nuts in different ways,

including laterally and forward-facing,

all with different degrees of success.

If both ninjas are still in the race,

the 4.35-metre dual Warped Wall is the ultimate decider.

It's not enough to get to the Warped Wall first.

Ninjas have to scale it and hit the buzzer

to eliminate their opponent and move on to the grand final.

Once you've knocked out your opponent,

it's you against the course

to be the furthest fastest of the night

and get that all-important grand final advantage,

but standing in the way are three more punishing obstacles.

Obstacle seven is the ten-metre long Double Dipper.

Timing of the release and catch of the bar is critical

to stay on the rails and out of the water.

(AUDIENCE EXCLAIMS)

Obstacle eight is the Beehive,

consisting of three strength-sapping holds,

with the second having to be rotated 270 degrees.

The last obstacle is the feared Dragon's Back.

Managing fatigue is the key.

Only six ninjas made it here last night,

and four of them fell.

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

If ninjas slay the Dragon's Back,

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

Tonight, the 12 head-to-head winners

will progress to the grand final,

and the ninja that goes furthest fastest

will secure the coveted advantage

to take into the grand final.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Alright, Australia, let's find out which two ninjas

will be facing off in our first head-to-head.

Earlier today, Will and Woody revealed to our ninjas

who they are up against.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS)

Angus Lambe is gonna be taking to the course...

(WHOOPING)

..and, Angus, you're racing...

(DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS)

..Benny Polson!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC CONTINUES)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

♪ I am the greatest... ♪

BEN FORDHAM: Ladies and gentlemen,

the Australian Ninja Warrior champion!

(DRAMATIC MUSIC CONTINUES)

Look at the arms pumping!

Look at the legs pumping!

He's done it! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

The first to conquer Mount Midoriyama, Ben Polson!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

ANGUS: When I heard Ben's name,

I was just a little bit... just a little bit nervous.

(JAUNTY INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)

Hey! (CHEERING)

Hi. My name's Angus Lambe.

I'm 25 years old, from Brisbane,

and I am early childhood educator.

Nice! Keep going!

I'm a bit of a showboat.

I like to entertain people,

and I tell their children about ninja,

and I show them a few tricks.

(CHILDREN CHEER)

I always bring the fun in the classroom.

That's why they call me the Tropical Ninja.

JIM: Look at that swing!

LEILA: Yes!

During my heat, it was unreal, absolutely unreal.

This guy is making this look like a cake walk!

(KLAXON BLARES)

And hitting the buzzer on my debut was awesome.

Whoo! Let's go!

I was on cloud nine.

(ROCK RHYTHMS)

Being in the semis is gonna be really fun,

and I am pretty fast.

So, that will come into play.

It's always been my dream to be on Ninja Warrior,

but to go up against the champ, it's gonna be a big contest.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Welcome the Tropical Ninja, Angus Lambe!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

And please also welcome the first and only person

to be crowned Australian Ninja Warrior -

from WA, it's Ben Polson.

WILL: Alright, it's Ben Polson, obviously -

the name that you associate with Ninja Warrior.

This guy is a genuine champion - versus Angus Lambe,

who is a gun in and of himself, Woods.

One of these guys will finish the course tonight.

That's my bet. Mm-hm.

It's just about who it's gonna be. It's gonna be a red-hot battle.

Ben has the height, wingspan,

and experience over Angus,

who might look like the underdog,

but this first-time ninja

got up the Warped Wall in the heats.

His power-to-weight ratio is good,

and he's a dragon boater,

so his grip strength

should be solid.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

There are no second chances here, Jim.

These head-to-head races, they're brutal.

One wrong move and it's better luck next year.

Whoo! There's Olivia Vivian.

She was furthest fastest in her semifinal last night

and won the grand final advantage.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(CHIME SOUNDS)

Here we go - Sprinting Steps to rope,

and Angus has got a good head start on Ben here.

He's straight up the ramp on to the trapeze.

He is flying across the course, the Log Dash...

(GASPING) Ooooh!

Come on, you got this!

Oh, the champ almost out, but he's back on his feet.

Angus applying early pressure.

He's in the lead and on to the Ring Toss.

We said it was gonna be a big underdog story, and it's happening.

Angus Lambe is flying!

He was great in the heats, and now he's showing it here.

He looks in total control, but here comes Ben.

Oh, Angus just launches himself off the Ring Toss,

and he'll be the fastest to obstacle five.

This would be a massive upset, but Ben is in striking distance.

Can he put his big wingspan to use?

Oh, here comes Ben Polson. This is sensational!

What a move! Unbelievable!

Oh, and just like that, Ben Polson has taken the lead!

It's a sprint to the buzzer now.

Angus making a big move.

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

Oh, it's a photo finish, I think!

(BOTH EXCLAIM) Oh, my god!

I can't even believe it!

Who got it? Who was it?

Who got it?

Holy mackerel! Can you believe it?

What a finish!

Here's the replay.

Oh, Ben Polson getting there, but only just.

There was nothing in that!

Hard luck, Angus Lambe.

A brilliant run, but he's been knocked out by Ben Polson,

who's moving on to the grand final.

But it's not over for Ben.

He's moving on to the second part of the course,

where he's racing for that second chance advantage.

Unbelievable! What a finish!

How good is that reach? (LAUGHS) Amazing!

(INDISTINCT) Yeah, exactly.

Well, keep going. Good luck, big fella.

Oooh, catch your breath, Australia. That was something else.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

It was so fast! Ben is through to the grand final.

Now it's about being the furthest fastest

so he can grab that grand final advantage to take with him.

Double Dipper, reverse, no problem.

Yes, easy! Right onto the mat.

Come on, Ben!

Yeah, Ben Polson is on track, but he has two obstacles to go.

And this is the Beehive. It's a tricky obstacle to grab.

You have to hit the handholds perfectly

to rotate the middle honeycomb.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Easily flips that 270.

Yeah, these laches are 2.5 metres between honeycombs,

and Ben's just giving himself time here to spot those handholds.

Oh, look at that! That's why he's the champ.

He's on tonight.

The easier the ninjas make it look, the faster they're going,

and Ben Polson is on track for an amazing time,

but this is the Dragon's Back,

and Ben came off it last season.

I'm sure he'll want revenge.

Does he have enough gas in the tank for the dragon?

Six ninjas made it here last night. Four of them fell.

Be ready for it before you go.

Some good advice there from the ninja queen.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

And he almost does it in one fell swoop.

My goodness!

The strength is impressive.

Yeah, Ben Polson looks like laying down an incredibly fast time,

and he's making this look easy.

These are the hard yards right here.

His arms have to be burning,

and that makes this last obstacle so much tougher.

It's unbelievable.

This is a brutal finisher to a really fast course.

Alright, what's the dismount gonna be?

Is he gonna try and do it all in one?

(AUDIENCE EXCLAIMS)

No! Oooh! I didn't expect that.

Ben Polson!

(LAUGHTER) Wow!

Olivia can't believe it either. No!

I think she's quite enjoying it, in fact.

(LAUGHS) She's laughing her head off.

When Ben fell on the Log Dash,

it really looked like Angus was going to go all the way,

but you never write off a champion.

Ben used his superior reach through the Wing Nuts

and it's here he gained the lead for the first time,

and the race to the buzzer was the closest we have seen.

There was very little in it.

And got to the Dragon's Back in 3:02 -

a quick time compared to last night,

but just couldn't hold on as the bar hit the final bungee.

(MOMENTOUS MUSIC)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Mate, it's the best finish we've had in the semifinals.

You guys on that buzzer -

like, Woody and I were down on the deck.

We actually didn't know who won from our position.

We didn't know either. Yeah, I know.

So, I've got the time through.

We're gonna have a look at it on the screen.

You won by 25 100ths of a second.

WOODY: Ohh! That was the split.

We've actually got Angus Lambe here.

Lambie, get over here, mate. Come here, mate.

For such a good finish.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

I mean, Lambie, did you think you had him?

I thought I did, hey, yeah,

except the last Wing Nut, I kind of stuffed up, but...

I think the whole of Australia thought you had me

for that whole race, apart from that last half a second.

So, well done, man. Thank you.

We bloody love you, Angus. Amazing job, mate.

Congratulations.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: Well done, Angus.

That was a mighty effort,

and these first-time ninjas

are certainly pushing the legends all the way.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

LEILA: And just like Angus,

these two fresh young ninjas are also forging their way.

When we opened this season up to 16- and 17-year-olds,

we didn't dare dream how incredible they'd be,

and our veterans didn't expect

how much of a challenge they'd be either.

Well, last night three of our lightning fast teenage ninjas

made history by booking their place in the grand final.

So, which one of these two teens will join them?

(DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS)

I'm one of the teens that have made it to semifinal.

I think I've inspired some of my friends to be like,

"Oh, if he can do it, we can definitely do it."

The Bin Chicken is cleaning up this course!

I love being the smallest ninja on the course.

Yes! Let's go!

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

Just 45 kilos, though.

I've never run up the wall before.

So, I'm gonna be like a Bin Chicken tonight.

I'm gonna fly through this course

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

(DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS)

BOY: Hi. My name's Troy Sitkowski.

SPEAKER: Yeah, Troy!

I have been doing trampoline gymnastics for the past eight years.

It's really helped me,

because I was able to bounce my way through the heats.

JIM: Oh, this is major.

This is the attack of the teens coming to you.

It was, like, a really good achievement for me,

and now I'm gonna bounce my way to victory.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

OK, race two, and what a match-up.

Both are first-time ninjas,

both fell on the Anaconda,

and only six seconds separates their heat runs.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

At 160cm, John is the shortest

male ninja on the course,

which he wears as a badge of honour.

Just looking at the stats there,

Troy is a year older

and 12kg heavier,

and of course, has the upper hand

in height and reach.

Troy doesn't mind the big stage either.

Finished eighth in the World Trampolining Championships in 2019.

One of them is gonna make it to the grand final.

Who's it gonna be?

John and Troy are off, and there they go.

Pretty evenly matched through the first obstacle.

John taking a little extra time to hit the trapeze,

and Troy making quick time on the way,

as he gets across the log.

Look at him go.

They're off and running nicely, Leila.

And Troy first to each obstacle so far.

He holds the lead.

This is the Salmon Ladder to Ring Toss, and it's tough to do fast.

Hang on! John's getting the better of Troy here.

He might be ahead! It's getting really close.

Look at these first-time ninjas fly through the course.

Look at them go.

Making some nice moves with the rings here.

A gibbon swing coming there, and he is quickly off.

Troy taking the lead again.

And he's first up to the Wing Nuts.

This is obstacle five, the last before the Warped Wall.

Not much in it as Troy goes for the first Wing Nut.

Oh, hand slipped! Oooh!

Oh, it was a little bit dicey, but he's recovered.

A lot can happen on the Wing Nuts here.

If you take some extra swings, you can lose the lead,

and that's what just happened.

Ohh! And he's in the water!

He's in the water! Ohh!

Troy is out, but he was on the obstacle first,

and that means the Bin Chicken needs to complete the obstacle

to take the win.

He's gotta finish.

Come on.

He's gotta finish, otherwise Troy's in the grand final. Here it is.

Come on, John. Yes, he's in the grand final!

And he knows it. The Bin Chicken.

I'm gonna promote him from Bin Chicken to Ibis,

and look at his family!

They are so happy for him.

And here comes the wall,

and it's the shortest male ninja on the course.

AUDIENCE: Come on! Beat the wall!

This is his first attempt at the Warped Wall.

Can he hit his very first buzzer?

Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

Remember, 4.35 metres.

Can he do it?

He's done it! Yes, he can!

He's done it!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Are you kidding me?

The Chicken!

Oh, look how pumped he is!

Huge!

Look at the 16-year-old!

1.6 metres and he's up the wall! You legend!

(BOTH LAUGH AND CHEER)

His family are thrilled, and they should be.

He nailed that!

He's already through to the grand final,

but he is still going for that advantage.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

And what's he got left in the tank?

He's breathing hard at the Double Dipper.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

16 years old. 45 kilos.

He is a little sweetheart.

I've just got this motherly instinct to cuddle him...

Sure. I know. I know. ..every time I see him!

Yeah, well, this course isn't gonna cuddle him, that's for sure.

He's not going with the mixed grip.

Let's see how he does as he tries to fly across the Double Dipper.

Go, buddy, go! Yes! Here we go! He's across.

(SCREAMING)

No! (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMS)

Wow! That was a tough crash.

Oooh, backwards!

Well done! Well done! We love you.

Is he OK?

He's alright. He's alright, he's alright.

And he's into the grand final.

Ohh! He's just a sweetheart. Honestly, I melt.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

The Bin Chicken! Here he is! Here he is!

Here he is!

Mate, talk us through!

You are into a grand final.

Talk to us about that race.

That was neck and neck all along the Wing Nuts.

How was it to race out there?

It was so exciting to race Troy out on the course.

I thought he really did have it. He was in front of me.

Mmm.

But when I saw him fall off,

I was... it was a good competition.

I just took my time

and I managed to beat the wall.

Have you beaten the wall before, John?

That's my first time beating the wall.

Oh! Love that. Wowee!

Let's have a look, mate. We can take a look at it now.

We got a replay of the Warped Wall. Johnny, take us through it.

Oh, running up, I'm just using all my energy,

and my last push,

and I just managed to grab it with my grip of my fingers,

and I just pulled myself up...

Oh, yes! ..to my first ever buzzer.

First ever buzzer!

Yes! Ohh, the Bin Chicken!

He's through to the grand final.

Johnny, I reckon a quick celebratory chicken dance from the boys here.

What do you reckon, mate? What are we doing?

Little chicken dance. Little chicken dance.

Chicken, chicken, chicken. Hey!

The Bin Chicken's through to the Granny!

Got around him!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Don't go anywhere, Australia.

More Ninja Warrior coming up after this.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Coming up, our epic knockout semifinal match-ups continue

when we pit teen versus legend.

Now, we've had a lot of teens talking smack.

Do you have a message for those teens, mate?

Go away. Wahey!

(DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS)

Brother against brother.

JOSH: Without any doubt, I will be up that wall,

hitting the buzzer quicker than my brother.

Master against apprentice.

You've turned us into rivals.

And legend against legend...

He's looking a bit slow this year. Ohh!

..when the biggest rivals in Ninja Warrior history,

'Flashlin' Ashlin Herbert and Daniel 'The Barefoot Ninja' Mason

battle it out.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: Hello, and welcome back to Sydney Olympic Park

for the Australian Ninja Warrior semifinals of 2022.

LEILA: Now, with ninjas racing side by side,

this year's semifinals have provided drama like we've never seen before...

He's done it! You legend!

(KLAXON BLARES)

..as ninjas all chase the dream of conquering Mount Midoriyama.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS)

The semifinal course comes in two parts.

In part one, two ninjas start the course and race in a knockout sprint.

Knock out your opponent, and you're into the grand final.

But for our victor,

their run doesn't end there.

They process to part two of the course,

where three more brutal obstacles await.

They are now in a race against the clock,

with the fastest of the night securing the grand final advantage.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Time for our next knockout semifinal.

Now, this season has been all about the attack of the teens,

and our next head-to-head is going to be a real battle of the ages.

It's 16-year-old Central Coast basketballer Ben Lewis,

and his opponent is a five-season legend

who is almost twice his age, Mike Snow.

Just to add some extra spice to this race,

both these ninjas have had plenty to say on the course,

adding fuel to the fire in the young-versus-old rivalry.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS)

AUDIENCE: Beat the wall!

Yes! (KLAXON BLARES)

How about that for a debut?

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

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

The young 'uns are coming. Ahh!

The teens have challenged veterans.

The veterans have answered.

Now, we've had a lot of teens talking smack.

Do you have a message for those teens, mate?

Go away. Wahey!

(DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS)

Benny, how are we feeling?

Oh, I think I'm gonna melt him.

(ALL EXCLAIM AND LAUGH)

Mike?

I might be double the age - I'll try to be half the time.

Ohh!

I have talked a little bit of smack

about the whippersnappers coming through.

So, maybe I sort of brought this match-up on myself.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC SWELLS)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

WOODY: Here we go - I love this.

We've got Ben Lewis taking on Mike Snow.

Ben Lewis, the teenager, taking on

a four-time grand finalist ninja legend in Mike Snow.

Gee, whiz, who's gonna do it, Will - the legend or the teenager?

I reckon it's Lewis.

I reckon he's going, like,

"Mate, you are in my sights. Get out of the way!"

Oh, that's an epic sledge! Here we go!

And we are gonna see a teenager take it out.

Alright! (LAUGHS)

And Mike has shed ten kilos

from last season,

but he's still ten kilos heavier

than the teenager.

Ben will be looking for a fast start.

He was impressive in his heats,

making it up the Warped Wall,

and he'll be hoping his

youthful speed, fearless approach,

and lighter frame will give him the edge.

What we've seen in these races is that anything can happen.

Young or old, experienced or not,

the only thing we know is one of them's going home tonight.

(CHIME SOUNDS)

Here we go.

The Sprinting Steps - eight of them.

They are neck and neck,

and this is a very fast start as they head to the trapeze bar!

There's nothing in it.

They are very quick!

And Ben Lewis gets on the Log Dash first.

He's forcing Mike to play catch-up.

These teens just have no fear!

The youth is on the move here, on the march.

Look at Ben Lewis go,

and he looks like he might get out first onto the rings.

Nice tactics from Ben, applying early pressure.

Mike needs to make a move,

and this is where his experience may pay off.

Can he turn the tables?

Oh, nice move by Mike Snow here.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Look at that.

He skipped a peg and he's swung into the lead.

And Ben Lewis is hanging on by a thread,

trying to get on a peg,

while look at Mike Snow attack this course.

Oh, look at that reach! That is experience, Jim.

Yes, all the pressure now on the 16-year-old.

He's gonna have to throw everything at this

if he has any chance of catching Mike.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

He's reeling him in.

Go on, Ben!

Ben!

And Lewis is... oh, he's in the drink!

No!

But it's now a race against the clock for Mike.

Can he finish the course and get that grand final advantage?

Up the wall, mate.

And Mike's mum and her friend, Casey, in the crowd there,

cheering them on.

Mike Snow for the wall!

He's up, he's up! He's... no! And he's not there.

We've seen this before, Leila.

Yes, this is evidence of how hard these ninjas are pushed,

racing head to head.

We've seen more Warped Wall attempts than we usually do.

He's burning time, Jim.

AUDIENCE: Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

Ohh!

OK, Mike now has his final attempt, and he needs to find a way,

'cause you wanna get up there, get the buzzer,

and get to the second part of the course.

Remember, that second chance advantage is still alive

for anyone who can get up to the top of the Crow's Nest.

He really does look like he's blowing hard.

Can he do it this time?

Come on. Beat the wall.

Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

Yes, he's up! He got it. He got it.

Attempt number three, he has it!

Alright, persistence.

Sending some thumbs up to this opponent too.

Well done, Mike. Keep it rolling.

He'd be tired after the Warped Wall.

Had three attempts on it. That's gotta gas you, Will.

Those three attempts have made a dent in Mike's time.

He's currently over a minute behind Ben Polson,

but if Mike can go further than Ben and finish the course,

he'll be in pole position for that second chance advantage.

Go, Mike! Yes! He's over!

Yes! Yes, Mike!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) So good!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Well done, mate!

Angela, Mike's mum, in full support as he heads towards the Beehive.

Now, Mike won the second chance advantage

in his semifinal last year,

so he knows exactly what's at stake here.

This is obstacle eight.

Here he goes. He's gonna fly through the air.

Good catch! Yes!

Oh, he looked gassed!

That's the thing about the head-to-heads -

you can't go at your own pace.

Can the stuntman get there?

He needs to focus on the catch.

Look at him go. Yes!

Amazing!

He's across.

Now to get off, and this is a big gap.

It's 3.5 metres.

He's gotta make that dismount.

Stick the landing.

Yes! Yep, nicely done.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Even though Mike's behind Ben's time,

that advantage is still within striking distance

if he can complete the course.

He'll be thankful he's a few kilograms lighter,

but how much arm strength does he have left?

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Two big humps for Mike to get over here.

How many is he gonna tackle the first time up?

That's a single.

So, yeah, going up methodically, and down the first hurdle.

Now he has to do it all over again.

The last obstacle the cruellest of them all,

but he's looking strong.

Really using that core to drive himself up this Dragon's Back.

He's almost at the top, Leila.

Here we go.

He'll be looking for a smooth dismount.

Come on, Mike!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(AUDIENCE EXCLAIMS)

My goodness!

Oh, that was so, so close!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

He doesn't look too disappointed.

He knows this is a tough course to beat.

16-year-old Ben Lewis put the heat on Mike early,

but Mike's experience showed,

making his move at just the right time,

surging past Ben, where his race ended.

Mike did incredibly well to get over and off the Dragon's Back,

but couldn't hold on to the cargo net.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Congratulations, Mike.

This semifinal course is giving the ninjas a beating tonight.

It's certainly not for the faint-hearted.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Couldn't agree more,

and this next match-up is no exception.

Two tough ninjas ready to duke it out.

From the Blue Mountains, in just his second season of Ninja,

the man we called 'Jungle Jimmy' - it's Jimmy Burrows.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

I don't think anyone on the show's had snakes before.

So, it's... a bit unique.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS)

After winning the Power Tower last year,

everyone was like,

"Who is this Jungle Jimmy, the snake guy?"

I came out on top in the Power Tower.

BEN FORDHAM: Well done, Jungle Jimmy!

And then skipped the semifinals, straight to the grand finals,

and I happened to fall off on the very first run,

which was the Snake Run.

Jungle Jimmy is in the swamp!

And then this year, it was the Anaconda.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Oh, the snakes!

The irony of that is just unbelievable.

Jimmy Burrow, you are taking on... 'Farmer Arms', Simon Martin!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

I've got plenty of snakes at home, so I know how to deal with them.

(ALL EXCLAIM AND LAUGH)

There's not too many 41-year-olds doing ninja,

and swinging off monkey bars.

So, I started my journey just watching the show with my kids.

We absolutely loved it.

(ROCK RHYTHMS)

I'm actually stoked to make the semifinals.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: What a match-up here.

18 years separates the two.

So, Jimmy will certainly have the younger legs and speed advantage,

but you write off Simon Martin at your peril, Leila.

LEILA: Yeah, totally agree.

He's from the town of Karoonda,

a couple of hours east of Adelaide,

and no doubt the whole town is behind him.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

And there's Simon Martin's family.

(AUDIO CRACKLES) Dad!

Send it, Dad!

Great advice - to send it.

Simon's seventh in his heat,

making it to obstacle five Weight For It,

and Jimmy only got to obstacle four, the Anaconda, in his heat,

but he did make the grand final last season.

OK, who's it going to be - the 41-year-old or the 23-year-old?

(CHIME SOUNDS)

They are up and at it!

Hands in the air like they don't care,

and they're off onto the trapeze.

And Jungle Jimmy flying,

and he's the first to get on to the Log Dash.

(AUDIENCE EXCLAIMS)

Oh! Jungle Jimmy is down. Can he recover?

He's back up!

Somehow Jungle Jimmy survived that

and still manages to be the first to the Salmon Ladder.

But here comes the farmer.

Up he goes, and he is catching up.

Wow! Jimmy just brushed that fall off like it was nothing.

He's younger, so we expect him to bounce back quickly,

as he tries to hold off farmer Simon Martin,

who is making a move.

Jimmy's off. Simon isn't too far behind.

This is the last obstacle before the Warped Wall.

Jimmy just checking his run.

But look out 0 the 41-year-old is going for it.

Simon Martin has just dropped the hammer, and he is flying.

He's about to overtake Jimmy. What are we seeing?

This is unbelievable!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Oh, Jimmy just tried to span it and missed.

Simon has extended his lead. Here he goes!

Oh, and here comes Simon! No!

Oh, he slips and slides, though,

and that gives Jungle Jimmy a chance to tackle the wall,

but he does the same!

Oh, Jimmy's missed it as well.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

The Farmer's Arms gonna give it another go.

Does he get it? He's up!

Yes, he does. He's up!

Yes, he does.

(KLAXON BLARES)

He does! He bloody did it! What an upset!

The 41-year-old farmer is into the grand final.

Age is truly no barrier. What a determined run.

Yay, Dad!

How about the family, up on the scree there,

giving all their support?

Kylie, he is through to the grand final.

What do you think about that, kids?

That's awesome! Yeah! Yay!

Amazing!

They are pumped up, and his arms have to be pumped up as well.

Simon Martin - into a grand final,

but still three obstacles to come here

if he wants to be the first tonight

to get to the top of the Crow's Nest.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Yes! Grab it. Got it!

There's one down. The Double Dipper is behind him.

Next up, the Beehive.

He's 25 seconds behind Ben Polson's time,

but Ben fell on the Dragon's Back.

Will Simon be able to complete the course tonight?

He'll need those farmer's arms.

The handholds here are hard to land.

Alright, he's gonna have to generate the swing.

Didn't use the rope to help him, but look at that power.

Can he stick the landing here? Grab it!

Yes! Nicely done.

He had to hang on tight there.

Now he has to spin this one 270 degrees to lock it in.

Come on, Simon! Yes, he's locked it in.

Oh, yeah, he's a little gassed. Getting tired.

Just grabbing a little break there o n the dead hang.

Does he have enough to get to the third honeycomb?

Come on, kids. Cheer on Dad!

No! Ohh!

He's in the drink! He's in the drink!

Yeah, but he's also into the grand finals.

So, everyone, be pumped up.

What a great performance.

Simon Martin in his first time on Ninja Warrior.

We'll see him again in the grand final.

There was plenty of grit and determination on show in this run.

Shout-out to Jimmy Burrow,

who, somehow, managed to recover from this fall and stay ahead,

but Farmer Simon ploughed his way

through the Wing Nuts to hit the lead,

and I'm amazed at how many times we have seen this,

both failing at the Warped Wall.

Simon, though, getting the job done

and moving on to the grand final.

Coming up next...

(DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS)

WOMAN: I am bringing speed and agility,

and I'm gonna smash this course tonight.

She better watch out.

..two strong, powerful ninjas hit the course with feeling!

WOMAN: I'm not too worried about Nicole's game plan.

What she does behind me doesn't really bother me.

LEILA: 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 re-run the course,

increasing their chances of reaching Mount Midoriyama.

(MOMENTOUS MUSIC)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Well, welcome back to the thrilling second semifinal

of Australian Ninja Warrior.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: Our first four head-to-head races have been nail-biting affairs.

Uh-oh!

Four ninjas have made their way into the grand final,

with Ben Polson, who fell on the Dragon's Back,

currently the furthest fastest

and holding the grand final advantage at this stage.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Next up is an all-female contest between two competitors

who finished their heat within a handful of placings of eat other.

They're matched in strength and determination.

It's our mum on a mission,

43-year-old mother of three from Adelaide, Nicole Chamberlain.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

And the first-time ninja and Taylor Swift fan

who blew us away in the heats, Zenia Wood.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Go, Zeen!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

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

(UPBEAT MUSIC)

I do have a tattoo in reference to her.

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

Taylor Swift is an incredible role model,

and with my heat,

those words definitely helped my success with that.

I'm so proud of how I went,

but I'm also so gutted that I was literally one step from the wall.

I've shaken off my heats,

and I'm here to swiftly move through the semis and into the grand final.

WOMAN: I am Nicole Chamberlain,

and I am one half of the Ninja Mums.

(MOMENTOUS MUSIC BUILDS)

She's a flying mum.

In my heat, I was actually really super proud

that I got past the third obstacle.

Straight across the dominos.

My other Ninja Mum, Katrina Bean,

she's devastated that she didn't get to the semis.

And so for me to stand up there and represent Ninja Mums,

it's awesome.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS)

I am a paramedic. I've been a paramedic for 20 years now.

It is a highly stressful job, emotionally, physically.

Every day is a new challenge.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC CONTINUES)

Being a paramedic...

(SIREN WAILS)

..you do have this amazing ability

to tackle so many different things at once

and keep that level head.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC SWELLS)

So, that is my superpower.

I have experience and wisdom - the age factor here.

(LAUGHS) I'm bringing that to the ninja course tonight.

Tired and weary, or...? (LAUGHS)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

And Nicole Chamberlain - she's doing it for the mums.

Oh, yeah, she's got experience in life, doesn't she?

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Trying to inspire all those moms all over Australia

to just give it a go,

and then, of course, there's Zenia Wood.

She's a Swifty, and she was swift in her heat.

And you can see where she gets her height from.

Her dad, Nick, is 6'8".

Come on, Zenia! Oh, yeah!

Zenia standing at 182cm.

She has some great wingspan for this.

And Nicole fell on the Anaconda.

Zenia went one better,

falling on the next obstacle in what was a really gutsy performance.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

So much drama already tonight. Which way will this one fall?

(CHIME SOUNDS) OK. Off they go.

Eight Sprinting Steps.

(AUDIENCE EXCLAIMS) Oh, whoa! Zenia's out!

Oh, no! Zenia's out! She's out.

The crowd is shocked. I'm in shock.

What a tough exit!

Here goes Nicole Chamberlain.

Oh! Another hard fall!

Ohh! Ow!

That was a tough spill from the Ninja Mom, Nicole Chamberlain.

Big stack from Nicole.

They've both had a couple of big stacks out here.

She looks OK, and importantly, she's through to the grand final.

Oh, but Zenia's devastated!

Poor Zenia is out.

She can't believe it,

but Nicole Chamberlain has recovered from her fall.

Made short work of the Log Dash.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Let's have a quick look at Zenia to see what happened.

Keep an eye on her feet.

She overshoots the steps, her foot isn't hitting the middle of them,

and she goes for the rope early.

Didn't each touch the last step.

That's a tough landing for a tough competitor.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Back on the course now, and Nicole is at the Salmon Ladder.

She's another tough competitor.

Clack one! Clack two!

Now, Nicole can't celebrate this right now,

but this 43-year-old is only the second female

to make an Australian Ninja Warrior grand final.

The other, of course, the queen of ninja, Olivia Vivian.

She's in fine company.

Nicole Chamberlain doing so well!

Look at her go here.

Just skipping a couple of pegs too.

Strong and composed, isn't she?

Gonna swing off from here. Look at her go! Nice!

Wow!

OK, this is obstacle five, the Wing Nuts,

and she needs to nail the centre of this mini tramp.

She is just 167cm.

It's a decent leap. Up she goes.

Yes! That was nice.

Great work from Nicole.

This paramedic mom from Adelaide is doing some damage out here.

Oooh! Interesting technique here.

Doing the forward lache.

Some ninjas will work the side, or lateral, lache.

Oh, look at that! Not her.

She's going straight forward, straight to it,

and she's closing in on...

Back to back... Oh, no!

It was risky. It was always risky.

What a performance.

She is through to the grand final. That's all that matters right now.

Well done, Nicole Chamberlain, the Ninja Mum!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

You have to be brave to tackle this course,

because it is big, and it can be brutal.

Zenia joins a list of ninjas

that will be feeling this course long after tonight is over.

Nicole also took a decent drop from the trapeze,

but she's one tough mother,

and is through to the grand finals.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Ninja Mum, Nicole Chamberlain, you are through to a grand final!

Congrats, mate!

(LAUGHS) How awesome's that? It is so awesome!

What does it mean to you, Nicole,

to be such a big inspiration to all the mums watching you?

Oh, it's amazing.

Like, I'm a middle-aged mum of three children

and I'm matching it with these 16-year-old kids.

Like, how good is that?

That's pretty good!

You are more than matching it, Nicole.

You are through to a grand final. That's amazing!

Wow! I would never have thought. Well done, Nicole.

Yeah, I'm stoked. Mate, congratulations.

So inspirational.

Paramedic, mum, and now Ninja Warrior grand finalist.

Well done, Nicole.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Well, from a Ninja Mum to some ninja brothers.

It is time for a bit of sibling rivalry.

Now we're going to pit brother against brother

in the ultimate bro-down!

What do you reckon, Leium - taking on the older brother?

Yeah, I reckon I'll take him down.

Beautiful. Simple words. Yep.

Straight to it. Josh?

I reckon I'll show him who's the older brother.

Gee, that was intense, guys.

That seems very serious between you. (LAUGHTER)

(DRAMATIC DRUM BEATS)

JOSH: My mum's very nervous about it.

She thought that this would happen and we'd be versing each other,

but can't change it.

(DRAMATIC DRUM BEATS)

WOMAN: They are very competitive.

Everything that they do, they try and better each other.

If one does a level and wins, that's the next one's goal.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS)

Even though he is my brother and I love him, I'll try and beat him.

LEIUM: My grip strength is really, like,

a lot better than my brother's.

So, yeah, tonight I'm gonna be the stronger one.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC CONTINUES)

Alright, alright.

I might have some speed over him.

I know he has great power.

So, I'm gonna have to be quick on the course.

Good luck to you. Don't be too sad if I take you out, alright?

That won't happen. It's alright.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC SWELLS)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: Here we go. Brother versus brother.

You don't want to lose this one, Leila.

It could be the bottom bunk and the back car seat forever.

WILL: Alright, it's Leium De-Roo versus Josh De-Roo.

A lot of love for each other, but out on the course,

it is fast, it is furious.

There are years of family tiffs to put behind them right now, Woods.

Let's see who's gonna win.

(WHISTLES)

LEILA: And these two are evenly matched, so it's tough to call.

Both gymnasts, same height,

but at only 16,

younger brother Leium

is four kilos lighter than Josh.

This race is packed

with an extra kind of pressure.

It was younger brother Leium

who went furthest fastest in the heats,

both crashing out on the Anaconda,

but Leium getting there quicker.

It's this one, though, that really counts.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(CHIME SOUNDS)

And they're off! Wow!

Ohh, totally in sync.

(LAUGHS) Right?

Older brother Josh just ahead.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Unbelievable!

They looked like synchronised swimmers on that one,

but it is the older brother, Joshua, who is just out in front

and first up onto the Salmon Ladder.

And clickety-clack! Both of these brothers don't talk back.

It is game on between the brothers!

WILL: Genuine old-fashioned bro-down going on here.

They are neck and neck!

Oh, and Leium is catching up.

Oh, no!

Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Ooh, ooh!

And Josh is making his move. He is pulling away.

He is looking over at his little brother,

and big brother Josh is going to be first off.

(CROWD GASPS) Ooh, that's a hard landing!

Chalk up another beating to the course tonight.

And little bro's got some work to do to close the gap,

but he might do it, because Josh has been eyeing up his next move.

Oh, he's off.

Joshua's gonna head right up to the Wing Nuts.

And here we go. Leium up to the Fixed Bar.

He's trying to catch his brother, and he's done well!

Oh, no! Oh, Joshua's off the first Wing Nut!

OK, here it is now. Here we go.

He's cheering on his brother already.

This is it, Leila.

He needs to finish the obstacle, because Josh got there first!

Hopefully... BOTH: Oh, no!

(BUZZER)

Oh!

Big brother bragging rights.

I did not see either of those falls coming.

The two brothers going toe to toe on every obstacle.

Dad Nathan looks like he felt every move that was made out there.

They both started strong, but Leium really struggled on the Ring Toss.

He missed a few times trying to get the rings on,

and it seemed to take it out of him.

Josh got to the Wing Nuts first,

but he opened the door for his younger brother

when he fell.

It was a surprising miss from the gymnast.

He looked like he had it.

Leium took a more lateral approach but just couldn't make the catch.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Don't go anywhere, Australia.

Up next...

The Stingray is about to unleash!

..winner of the Power Pool advantage,

teen sensation Ash Campbell.

Ash has the ultimate power,

as he gets to choose his head-to-head competitor.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: Welcome back to the Australian Ninja Warrior semifinals.

Before we get to our next exciting semifinal showdown,

let's see who's already made it

through to the grand final.

Ben Polson is the one to beat,

reaching the Dragon's Back

in the quickest time.

But no ninja

has completed the course,

so that grand final advantage

is still very much up for grabs.

And big shout-out to paramedic and superwoman Nicole Chamberlain -

she'll be the first-ever mum in the grand final.

OK, let's get back out on the course

for another ninja-versus-ninja match-up.

Our next pairing comes together courtesy of a heats Power Pool win.

16-year-old Ash Campbell made huge waves

when he beat out Ninja legend Ashlin Herbert

on the way to winning his advantage.

He now gets to choose his semifinal opponent.

He's a ninja superstar in the making -

it's Ash Campbell!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Oh!

The Stingray is on the precipice of a major upset!

ASH: I won the Power Pool.

The teen has taken on the legend! (BUZZER)

It felt awesome getting up there and just realising,

"Oh, my god, I've just taken out the top ninjas".

It was like, "Wow, that just happened".

You won the Power Pool.

Who do you want to race against?

I'm a really big fan of the name,

so I think I'd have to go with the Saxy Ninja.

(APPLAUSE)

Oh, I think there's gotta be tactics behind his choice.

(UP-BEAT MUSIC)

I'm one of the older Ninjas.

I'm sure that's come into it a little bit.

I'm a bit more than twice his age.

Even just staying up this late is kind of giving him an edge, I think.

The proudest moment in my heat run

was accomplishing that second obstacle.

JOHN: Make the leap! Yes, baby!

I'm absolutely stoked to be here for the semifinals.

I'm just going to attack this absolutely flat-stick.

Because I'm a musician, people don't see me as a ninja.

They don't see me as someone that's a fit and agile person.

First and foremost,

I trained with the army for a number of years.

I've been working hard since then,

and I'm feeling fit and I'm ready for it.

I'm going to be the first up that Warped Wall.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

WILL: Alright, so Ash Campbell

chose Jason Mitchell

as his opponent.

Gotta be a bit demoralising

for the Saxy Ninja, Woods.

But, gee, you'd like to knock him off after getting chosen.

I mean, I like the Saxy Ninja.

Let's get saxy, Will.

That was actually very impressive.

Alright, let's just get into it, shall we?

Let's get saxy. (LAUGHS)

LEILA: If you say so, Woody.

Ash has to be the favourite here,

but there have been plenty of upsets in these semis.

Fire up, Stingray!

Ash Campbell's dad, Simon, with some words of wisdom.

Ash known as the Stingray because he glides through the course.

And there's his mentor and role model, 'Flashlin' Ashlin,

who'll be racing later tonight.

I guess the big question is

has Ash Campbell chosen wisely,

and more importantly, has that choice fired up the Saxy Ninja?

They both have a point to prove.

Come on, Jase!

They look amped for this semifinal!

It is sudden-death.

Everything is riding on this.

(STARTER BEEPS)

And here they go.

The Saxy Ninja and the Stingray over the Sprinting Steps

and quickly up onto the Trapeze.

Both gliding to the third obstacle, the Log Dash.

And Ash is across first.

The teen is out in front.

God, Stingray's quick.

A bit of hesitation from the Saxy Ninja.

Bit of a wobble, but he's safe.

Ash just getting the jump on in there.

Straight up the Salmon Ladder onto the Fixed Bar and the rings.

Jason, the Saxy Ninja, lagging just behind him a fraction.

But if you're prepared to stretch out and skip the pegs,

you can make up ground, just like Ash Campbell is doing.

He has the confidence of a veteran.

He's 16!

He's so smooth, Leila.

These teens are incredibly fearless.

The last obstacle before the Warped Wall now.

Saxy Ninja needs to change his tune.

We've seen before one slip can change everything.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Gets it. What does this kid eat?

Looks like he eats Saxy Ninjas for breakfast.

He's at the Warped Wall.

And Jason is hanging on for dear life.

He's gotta go. It's now or never.

He's down! (BUZZER)

Solid effort, but it just shows how fast 16-year-old Ash Campbell is.

Another teen is through to the grand final.

He's got it!

I knew it! Straight up the wall!

Ash Campbell, the Stingray.

(BUZZER)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

That was relentless and excellent.

Hi!

How are you?

Yeah, you get a fist bump. You know you're on the clock too, right?

Power on through! Double dipper! Yeah, yeah, yeah.

This is all yours now, Ash! Eat it up!

He's two seconds ahead of Ben Polson,

so that second-chance advantage is within striking distance.

And... that's one.

And that's two. Yes!

At just 16, can this kid be the first

to complete the course tonight and show up the legends?

Too easy, too easy. Let's go! Let's go!

Alright!

Yeah, how about his dad, Simon, there,

giving him a lot of positive encouragement.

Here he goes on the Honeycomb.

He's known for his laches,

and handles the first move, no problem.

Yeah, Ash needs to lock it in.

Oh, he snapped that to place,

and he now needs a big lache with plenty of height.

It's 2.5m across. Look at him go.

His into the swing of things.

Yes! And he made that look easy! So smooth.

Ash is on track to be the fastest of the night.

Look out, legends, these teens are coming for you!

Come on!

The Stingray action. How 'bout that?

Beautiful. They call it a 'glide'.

That's what he's brought here tonight.

OK, the Stingray versus the Dragon's Back.

Give yourself a smackdown. One more!

What a run so far.

Incredibly, Ash is 13 seconds ahead of Ben Polson's time.

Can the 16-year-old be the first to complete the course?

Oh, no, look, he's gone a bit sideways.

This is dangerous.

He's hung on. You have to keep the bar straight.

Ash just snapped it back into shape,

and now he's up the back, looking strong.

Come on. One more, come on, Ash!

Gotta take it easy on the glide path down, though.

Gotta stick this landing onto the bungee.

No! Oh, no!

No, he's come off at the final hurdle!

Almost all the way down the Dragon

and, no, he's in the pool.

Agonisingly close for Ash Campbell,

but he's not alone in falling off this beast of an obstacle.

That bungee at the bottom of the final descent

is hard to hold onto after such a punishing course,

but the good news for Ash,

he is currently the furthest fastest,

well ahead of Ben Polson,

which just goes to show the speed of these amazing teens.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Stingray, mate!

What a run!

He's the Stingray! He floats through!

I don't know how close you guys want to get to me.

Yeah, we're getting in, mate, we're getting in.

We love it. We love it, Stingray.

We love it, Stingray. There you go.

Hey, Ash, can you run us through your dad?

I could hear him through the entire obstacle there.

Oh, me too.

He said at one point, "Give yourself a smackdown".

What does that mean? I have no clue.

You'd have to ask him. We're all excited, though, mate.

You're through to a grand final. Congratulations!

Thank you. No worries, mate.

(LAUGHTER)

Shots fired from these incredible teens.

Watch out, legends, the next generation is coming.

After the break, it's master versus apprentice.

Who will book their place in the grand final?

Can you beat your boss tonight, mate?

Yeah, it's time to show the boss

who's the boss of the course tonight.

Dave, you're still the apprentice.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: Welcome back to Sydney Olympic Park

for the Australian Ninja Warrior semifinals of 2022.

LEILA: Well, we've seen all kinds of match-ups tonight,

but our next ninja showdown is unique.

Both of these guys work at the same Brisbane engineering company,

only one's the boss and the other is an employee.

So the question is, Leila,

which ninja is on the fast track to success?

Le and I have been working together for about 3, 3.5 years now.

Yeah, another year and he'll be a tradesman.

(ROCK MUSIC)

(GRUNTS)

Sorry.

I met Le doing ninja,

and that's what kind of got me involved

with all this machining, engineering,

and I just fell in love with it.

Is David a better employee or ninja?

I would say an employee.

Oh, harsh! Alright.

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)

It's an unusual feeling versing your employee,

but I guess deep down inside we both want to beat each other.

I think he's really nervous.

I think he's wetting his pants a little bit

coming up against me in this race tonight.

The main advantage I have

is I've been in the grand final a few times in the past,

and I'm a bit more methodical.

LEILA: Can he beat the wall?

Yes, he's done it! He has done it!

I think Le should be a bit concerned with me tonight

because I like my speed.

JOHN: He is ripping through this course.

I like taking risks.

Can he be one of the few ninjas...?

No. (BUZZER)

But, you know, with risks comes potential mistakes,

so we'll just have to...

Yeah, hopefully not go swimming.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

WILL: Who the hell needs HR

when you can take somebody on on a ninja course?

Absolutely.

I tell you what, if you hate your boss,

you'll be getting around David Lack right now.

If he beats him, that's bragging rights in the office.

Let's see what happens.

JOHN: David already has bragging rights

getting to the final of the Power Pool in the heats,

with Le missing out.

Yeah, they were impressive in their heat.

Both these guys got up the Warped Wall.

David 51 seconds faster, but look at their heights.

183cm, exactly the same.

Le 7 kilos lighter

but a whole lot wiser.

Some great support out here for our ninjas.

There's Le's wife, Kat, cheering him on,

and in Camp David, his girlfriend, Jade.

Come on, David!

This has been an incredible season here

with these semifinal match-ups.

We've had husband against wife,

brother against brother,

and now master versus apprentice.

It's another thriller on the line.

(STARTER BEEPS)

Here we go. Sprinting Steps to rope.

They both danced across those.

Straight up the ramp and onto the Trapeze.

There's not much in it,

but Le slightly behind.

David Lack first on the Salmon Ladder,

but Le's caught him!

Far out. These blokes are flying.

Did you just hear that sonic boom?

Because these guys are going so fast they're breaking the speed barrier.

Holy cow!

Look at Le, he's already off the rings

and heading up to the Wing Nuts.

Nobody tonight has got here faster.

It is now or never for David.

And here he comes, but hang on P

Le is spanning the Wing Nuts.

That was amazing from Le Hua!

Look at that!

But David still in striking distance.

Does Le have what it takes in the tank to get up the wall?

He's got it. He does.

He does!

(SQUEALS)

He scrambled up the wall.

(BUZZER)

Le is into the grand final!

And that's the fastest time to the Warped Wall buzzer

so far in the semis, 52 seconds!

That race was absolutely lightspeed.

David just couldn't get there,

but what an effort from the apprentice.

Wow. Head on through! Well done. Nice to see you.

You've still got three obstacles to go.

Does David still have a job now?

He certainly does. Pay rise!

He gets a pay rise! OK! Alright. A pay rise! (LAUGHS)

Good job, Le!

David looks to have done his boss no favours

with that rapid race burning plenty of Le's energy.

And it's now Le against the clock

for that precious grand final advantage,

but does he go for speed here or does he go for completion?

Three tough obstacles to go.

Down the first one, down the second one.

Across to the cargo net.

No problem at all.

Shake your hands out. Make sure they're all good.

Le just taking his time here.

He'll look to consolidate and minimise mistakes.

A previous grand finalist,

this veteran should not be underestimated,

but he's still well behind teen sensation Ash Campbell's run,

a testament to just how efficient the 16-year-old was.

Le up onto the Beehive.

Listen, this has become critical now for Le.

He has committed to a pay raise for David Lack.

He needs that $100,000.

Going furthest fastest here.

Here he goes.

Yes.

Boy, how good are these ninjas?

That 270cm, just seems like they're doing it with their eyes closed.

Big swing!

Big swing from Le.

Oh, and a fingertip grab!

Oh, he just got that.

Last big swing from Le, and off he goes.

Yes!

Now, he's way off Ash Campbell's pace,

but if he slays the Dragon's Back and gets to the buzzer,

he'll be the furthest fastest

and will get that grand final advantage.

It's all about completion now.

OK, here we go.

Dragon's Back. Many ninjas have fallen.

Can Le get there?

OK, off he goes.

One, two, three.

Ooh, quick! And down he goes. Nice.

Now he needs to do that all over again.

This is all about endurance.

Oh, keep going, Le, you can do this.

But this is the tricky part now -

down and dismount.

Can you hit that cargo net?

Come on, Le, you can do this.

But he's over! He's got it!

He's over!

He's heading up the cargo net. Yes!

Le will be the first up the Crow's Nest tonight.

And importantly he now has one hand

on that second-chance grand final advantage.

This veteran has fought the course and won.

Le Hua, you legend!

(BUZZER)

As he smashes that buzzer!

And he is not done with Ninja yet.

There will be a grand final awaiting.

Wow. Le, what a performance.

(MAJESTIC MUSIC)

WOODY: Huge run from Le.

That's my boss. (LAUGHS)

That was an out-and-out sprint,

the fastest race to the buzzer of the night.

Le slowed things down for the last obstacles,

but he got the job done -

the first ninja tonight to beat the Dragon's Back

and the first to complete.

Le Hua is now the furthest fastest.

Coming up, the path to Mount Midoriyama continues.

Can Le hold on to the top spot,

or can one of these legends of our sport,

Ashlin 'Flashlin' Herbert

or Dan the 'Barefoot Ninja' Mason,

grab that all-important grand final advantage?

But next, remember this?

Ohh! Look at his foot!

He caught it with his foot! That is unbelievable!

Well, he's back.

Teen sensation Saxon Johnstone is put to the test

by seasoned ninja Khaled Mahmoud

in another mouth-watering head-to-head shootout.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

LEILA: Welcome back to the Australian Ninja Warrior semifinals.

(BUZZER)

Eight ninjas have managed to outlast their competitors

to book themselves a ticket

in the coveted Australian Ninja Warrior grand final,

with veteran Le Hua the only ninja

to get up to the Crow's Nest tonight.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JOHN: With only three precious grand final spots left,

things are heating up,

so let's get back to the course for our next exciting match-up.

Out with the old, in with the new -

that's the battle cry of our teenage ninjas this season

as they take on their long-time heroes.

This 17-year-old Sydney student is leading the charge.

He was the first teenager to scale the Warped Wall,

and finished sixth in his heat -

it's Saxon Johnstone.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

And he's hoping to outrun a Ninja favourite

who fell on the obstacle P wait for it...

BOTH: Oh, no!

..in not only this year's heat but also last year's.

Ohh!

Desperately hoping he's waited long enough,

it's Khaled Mahmoud.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

SAXON: To me, my heat run was just a big blur, to be honest.

Ohh! Look at his foot!

He caught it with his foot! That is unbelievable!

I felt like doing a bit of juggling, so, you know,

I decided to kick the ring with one foot, hook it in the other.

Couldn't do it again if you paid me to.

This is history right here, the first teen to get up the wall.

(BUZZER)

So my initial reaction was, "Who is this guy?"

He has less clothes than me.

He has a little bit less hair.

So everyone has their advantages.

I think I've got the power. What do you reckon?

I'm a bit younger.

I think that might help a little bit,

play to my advantage, but...

Bro, I'm not an old man! (LAUGHS)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

WOODY: Saxon Johnstone, I tell you what,

for a 17-year-old, he has the biggest chest I have ever seen.

He also made it up the Warped Wall in the heats,

but he's up against Khaled Mahmoud.

It's the hair for me there, Will.

How about the hair?

Always about the hair for me as well, Woods.

(LAUGHS) Let's do it.

ALL (CHANT): Let's go, Khaled, let's go!

Khaled's beautiful family on the sidelines

providing plenty of support.

It's incredible that he's one of 10 kids!

Saxon has his family here too, plus mentor Ben Polson.

At just 17, Saxon is six years younger

but has the height advantage.

Let's see if his superior wingspan comes into play

with the obstacles requiring laches.

But don't discount Khaled.

He is a calisthenics coach,

giving him not only the strength

but also the control in his body movements.

He'll be hoping to outlast Saxon

and power through the back half of this course.

(STARTER BEEPS)

And here they go.

Here we go!

Across the Sprinting Steps.

Oh, no! What happened there?

Khaled is out! He went down.

Oh, just one little misstep

and it's all over on obstacle one for Khaled.

(GROANS) Oh, how disappointing.

OK, this makes things interesting for Saxon now

as he takes on the Log Dash.

(CHEERING)

He has no head-to-head pressure,

but he also has no-one pushing him along.

That was the same with Olivia last night,

but she still managed to be the fastest through the course.

Can Saxon do the same?

Can he complete this course quicker than Le Hua?

Le's time of 5.07 the one to beat for sure.

That should be Saxon's target.

From what we've seen of this teenager, he could do it.

Is this guy really just 17 years old?

I mean, look at the moves he's making, so smooth,

the rhythm here on the rings.

Very, very nice.

Saxon fighting hard here.

That second-chance advantage is what's at stake.

This is obstacle five, the Wing Nuts,

and he's just taking some time here.

How much will this affect his time?

He's up.

He's gotta get across to the first Wing Nut.

Laches across. He's got it.

He's looking confident.

Oh, my goodness, look at that span. Wow!

You're right, Leila, he is confident.

He's got a smooth, methodical approach about him.

He's getting the job done,

but the biggest question here is pace.

He's 45 seconds behind Le,

which is quite a bit slower to this point than we've seen,

but that might mean he's got more in the tank at the back end.

He's at the Warped Wall. Here he comes.

CROWD (CHANTING): Beat the wall! See if he can get there twice.

Yes! You betcha.

He just made that look easy. Wow!

The first teenager in the heats

to scale the Warped Wall does it again,

and it looked effortless too!

Amazing! Keep it rolling, big fella.

Head on through. Keep going! Yep.

He looks fresh as a daisy too.

That's the thing about these teens, plenty of fuel in the tank.

CROWD (CHANTS): Let's go, Saxon, let's go!

Saxon is 62 seconds behind Le,

but he doesn't look as gassed.

Can he make up time on the final three obstacles

and steal that second-chance advantage?

Take your time, take as much as you need.

Come on, Saxon! You know you can do it!

There he goes. Goes up.

He's caught it. He's down, and on the net!

Two easy transfers for the 17-year-old.

This is splendid. Catch your breath!

And because Saxon has taken no recovery time between obstacles,

he's closed the gap to Le.

He's only eight seconds slower.

Now he's got the Beehive.

The last two obstacles are tricky.

The Beehive, the lateral lache,

you gotta stick it, grip it, and then you gotta flip it.

Here he goes. 2.5m across.

Can he catch it? Yes, he can.

He's gotta lock in now. He has to spin it around.

But he's fighting it.

Gives his legs a kick.

There it goes. He's locked in.

Every extra swing, every extra moment on these obstacles

saps the strength.

Efficiency is the ninja's friend.

Got it.

And he's across to number three.

He's nailed the Beehive.

And he's gonna dismount right here.

Le's time of 5.07 the one to beat.

If he can do that, he will be the furthest fastest.

CROWD (CHANTS): Slay the dragon!

Listen to the crowd getting fired up.

Are we about to see something special here?

This Dragon's Back has proved an absolute killer

for an our ninjas tonight.

It is not easy.

But he does look fresh.

He's got that going for him as he heads up.

Here he goes.

Oh, no! (BUZZER)

Oh, that came out of nowhere!

He was looking so strong.

What a shock!

Still, what a great run!

Let's see how Saxon ranks amongst our other grand finalists.

Le still sits aloft

as the only ninja

to complete the course tonight.

Saxon lands in fourth spot,

and becomes the fourth teen tonight

to make it through to the grand final.

Coming up, five years of Ninja Warrior history

is settled on the course.

DAN: I know what I have to do to try and beat him,

and I feel like this year I can get him.

When Ashlin 'Flashlin' Herbert

meets Daniel the 'Barefoot Ninja' Mason

in a battle of the titans.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Welcome back to the Australian Ninja Warrior semifinals.

We have had some absolutely incredible

head-to-head races tonight.

Oh, it's a photo finish! BOTH: Ohhh!

Oh, no!

On a course that has taken no prisoners.

(CROWD GASPS)

Ohh! Ow!

Returning ninja and ICU doctor Andrew Luo

faced off against first-time ninja

and pole vaulter extraordinaire Ethan Princena-White.

Oh, here we go. They're off!

It was a decent battle through the first part of the course.

Quick as a flash.

Until the Salmon Ladder, where Ethan's night came to an end.

And Ethan is down!

It's a splashdown. Oh, Ethan!

He's so smooth on the rings there.

Andrew continued through the course with caution.

He knows a thing or two about checking for vitals -

he's checking his own right now.

And with his family cheering him on...

Deep breath, deep breath.

..managed to get up the Warped Wall.

He's up! Dr Luo! (BUZZER)

Boom, baby.

Before becoming a casualty of the Honeycomb.

And he's... Oh, he's off! (BUZZER)

But despite the fall,

this doctor has an appointment with the grand final.

Tonight's course has been tough.

Only Le Hua has managed to complete all obstacles...

He's over! He's got it!

..being the only ninja to slay the Dragon,

while the rest fell victim.

(CROWD GASPS)

These next tough ninjas

will be hellbent on muscling their way through the course.

Both of these competitors got to obstacle five in their heats,

and tonight they represent ninjas old and new.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Alright, hold on tight, Australia,

this race is gonna be one to watch.

It's the vegan scientist from Melbourne

who wants you to take a chance on plants -

welcome the Peacemaker, Brodie Peace.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Come on, Brodie. You can do it!

And from Adelaide, it's triple grand finalist Nathan Ryles.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Looking at the match-up,

both ninjas have the same height,

but Brodie's four years younger

and 7 kilos lighter.

He'll be looking to get off to a fast start.

Nathan's strength is his upper body,

which will come into play in the back half of the course.

Remember, Brodie's a first-timer

but Nathan has the experience,

having made the grand finals three of the last four seasons.

WILL: Should be a quality race between these two,

Brodie Peace and Nathan Ryles.

The concentration on both of them -

there's not a lot of words spoken out here.

This will be all business.

Both with top-10 finishes in their respective heats.

It's the old guard versus the new.

(STARTER BEEPS) And there's the buzzer.

And they get it going.

Gingerly, cautiously but safely through the first obstacle.

Oh, Nathan! Oh! Ooh!

Trips on the way up to the Trapeze.

Oh, it's happened again.

The Peacemaker marching on over the Log Dash.

Nathan's wife, Tori, watching on there.

She can't believe it. None of us can!

Oh, no! That's a disaster for Nathan Ryles!

What's happening? This is crazy!

The Peacemaker there on the Salmon Ladder.

No, Brodie Peace is off!

(BUZZER) Oh, wow!

Brodie Peace is off, but he is into the grand final

in his first season as a ninja.

We've said it before, but we may as well say it again -

you just never know what's gonna happen in these head-to-head races.

Oh, heartbreak for Nathan made worse,

because if he'd made the Trapeze,

then he might well have gone further than Brodie.

At times this can be a very cruel sport.

So much training goes into this,

and it can all be over in the blink of an eye.

The benefit of furthest fastest

going the way of the Peacemaker

as no-one got to the buzzer.

I don't know if Brodie realised that he was on his own,

but he overshot the rung with his left hand,

causing the other end of the bar to miss altogether.

That was a surprise, and so was this.

Nathan must've been rattled after his first two attempts.

Great save here on his first.

He's practically inverted.

And then on his third, just watch his right foot.

It just overshot the launchpad,

and his take-off unfortunately became a splashdown.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

He's with Woody now.

Hey, Nath.

You're obviously shattered, mate.

What happened on the ramp there?

Um, I just lost my footing.

I couldn't seem to get my feet, and my feet just slipped.

Yeah, I'm so disappointed.

I shouldn't have gone out like that.

Um...

I know... I really feel like I could have finished this course,

and to go out on something so stupid like that is heartbreaking.

Mate, you're still a semi-finalist. Great stuff.

Make some noise, everyone, for Nathan Ryles!

(CHEERING)

That's a tough break for Nathan Ryles.

Maybe a lucky one for the Peacemaker.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Peacemaker making the grand final in his first season.

Let's take a look to see

who else has made it through to the grand final.

Le Hua is the only ninja to complete the course tonight,

meaning as it stands

he'll take the second-chance advantage

through to the grand final with him.

To clarify, this advantage

couldn't be more important.

It means a complete grand final do-over run,

which could easily be the difference

between winning and losing the whole competition.

With all that's at stake,

will one of these expert ninjas beat Le's time?

Coming up after the break,

the one we've all been waiting for,

the biggest rivalry in Ninja Warrior comes to a head -

Ashlin 'Flashlin' Herbert takes on Daniel the 'Barefoot Ninja' Mason.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: Welcome back to Sydney Olympic Park

for the Australian Ninja Warrior semifinals of 2022.

LEILA: So it all comes down to this, Australia -

this is the main event.

There is one more grand final space left tonight,

and we have saved the best battle till last.

'Flashlin' Ashlin Herbert!

He's a machine, this young man.

How does he do it?

Incredible!

This guy is unbeatable.

(BUZZER)

Daniel Mason! You little ripper!

He's half man, half bird, Daniel Mason.

The 'Barefoot Ninja', yes, he does it!

Oh, what a sight to see!

He's got all the gears.

What a performance from this champion!

First up, the superhero with sensational speed,

it's the one and only Ashlin 'Flashlin' Herbert!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Matching Ashlin with his fleeting feet, also from Melbourne,

it's the 'Barefoot Ninja', Daniel Mason!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

There's five years of history between these two.

The rivalry is real, but they are also the best of mates.

Oh, trading jerseys here.

Aww.

'Flashlin's got the bare foot,

Daniel rockin' the five fingers.

We just have to remember

it's the first ninja to the buzzer, not the first T-shirt.

When this pair went head-to-head on the Power Tower,

it was Ashlin with the win.

Which way will it go tonight?

This should be tight.

Dan has had his moments, though.

He beat Ashlin on the Super Salmon Ladder

in last season's record breakers,

and in the series three grand final, he finished ahead.

I mean, Will, I just cannot believe

that one of these blokes is gonna be going home tonight.

Yeah, that's right, mate. Now this is everything.

We're playing for pink slips.

It is heartbreaking, isn't it,

that this is goodbye tonight to one of these ninja legends.

I know.

And how about this tension, Leila.

It's like the crowd can sense it.

The next chapter of this epic rivalry just about to begin.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(STARTER BEEPS)

Here we go. Sprinting Steps to rope.

Both of them over pretty quick,

but 'Flashlin' Ashlin showing a lot of flash,

and he's across the Trapeze.

He's across the logs.

And he is heading for the Salmon Ladder.

Wow.

He is so quick!

Did you say, "Blink and you missed it?"

That was insanity.

This is not the start Dan Mason needed.

He has to dig deep or Ashlin's going to run away with this.

Ashlin is doing what Ashlin does.

Yes, onto the Wing Nuts.

It's now or never, Dan, to stay alive.

You've gotta go for broke.

Oh, look, Dan's coming for him!

Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness! What just happened?

Hello! Daniel Mason!

Oh, and Ash is just going straight up.

And he's gonna get him! Where did he come from?

Ashlin's gonna get him. That is just ridiculous!

(BUZZER)

I cannot believe what we've just seen.

Ohhh! That was absolutely insane!

How did that happen?

45 seconds the split,

8 seconds faster than Le Hua's time, and that was quick!

Mason took him at the nuts and then 'Flashlin'...

I mean, I don't really know what he did.

That was amazing! So quick!

We couldn't keep up with you, Ashlin.

Wow! (LAUGHS)

Do not move, Australia, this is Ashlin Herbert at his best.

Girlfriend Sarah and Ash Campbell

and the rest of the crew just catching up now.

They don't want to miss a thing.

It's now all about the clock.

Ashlin is 35 seconds in front of Le's time.

Can he stay ahead and grab that grand final advantage?

Look at his face. He is loving it.

But can he finish the course off?

There's the first hurdle.

Nicely done.

Ashlin has a history of falling in grand finals.

He needs this advantage.

Wow, I'm still in shock.

You've got it, Ash. All the way to the end.

Great to see Dan Mason catching up and offering words of encouragement.

Ashlin not only has a chance of beating Le's time,

he could absolutely destroy it.

He's more than a minute ahead of his time as he hits the Honeycomb.

And once again, that was absolutely flawless

as he locks it in in one smooth motion.

He has looked unstoppable this season.

Could this year finally be his year?

Alright, is that the Dragon's Back?

The sixth ninja to get here.

Mike Snow and Ben Polson couldn't slay it.

Can Ashlin do it?

He is 1.45 ahead of Le,

his time of 5.07 the one to beat.

If he can do it, the grand final advantage is his.

Look at the hands.

They're like a bunch of bananas.

Can 'Flashlin' Ashlin win another semifinal?

He can with moves like that. That is so explosive.

And he's down and up again.

So smooth! What?

He's almost at the top!

OK, down he goes, Leila.

He's on the cargo net. He's up.

He's gonna go to the Crow's Nest!

He's doing it. Unbelievable!

He's doing it. Making it look so, so easy.

This could well be one of the greatest ninja runs we've ever seen.

He's soaked up the immense pressure from Dan Mason

and has just blitzed these last three obstacles.

(BUZZER)

And he hits the buzzer. Look at that time!

Nearly two minutes inside Le's time.

That is literally ridiculous.

The party's at Ashlin's tonight.

Dan, I'm sure you're invited.

Take a bow, Ashlin.

That was incredible!

This match lived up to the hype and delivered in spades.

It all came down to the Warped Wall.

Dan only hesitated for a second to wipe his feet,

but that's all 'Flashlin' Ashlin needed.

Despite the breakneck speed of the race,

Ashlin still had enough fuel in the tank

to be just the second ninja to slay the Dragon tonight,

and in a lightning-fast time.

He's through to the grand final,

and he's taking with him that precious second-chance advantage.

Will that be what he needs to finally lift the crown?

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

WOODY: Firstly, boys, run us through -

you swapped tops at the start there.

What was that all about? Support.

Yeah.

Been good mates since the show started.

It was a great show of sportsmanship.

Now, we're gonna see a replay of the Wing Nuts.

Run us through it, boys.

I mean, Ashlin, you're in the lead here.

I was going way too slow.

Ohh! Here comes Dan!

Dan, you flew, mate! You barely touched the second one.

So what happened on the wall there, Ash?

You got to the bottom.

He's just flown by and you just went all the way straight up.

Yeah, yeah, just sent it.

It was one of the great races.

Boys, congratulations.

Dan, I'm sure we'll see you next year.

Yep, yep, I'll be back.

Ashlin, we will see you in the grand final.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

What a way to end the show.

And my blood is still pumping like crazy.

Me too.

12 ninjas have guaranteed themselves a ticket into the grand final.

Let's have a look at the leaderboard to confirm who they are.

Congratulations to mum Nicole Chamberlain,

only the second woman to make a grand final.

Teenager John Sterio

and Josh de-Roo make it through on debut.

Stuntman Mike Snow

and teenager Saxon Johnstone also progressing.

The attack of the teens in full flight tonight.

Le Hua, a valiant second,

but the ninja of the hour is Ashlin 'Flashlin' Herbert

with not only the fastest run of the night

but the semifinals so far.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Congratulations, Ashlin Herbert.

You've earned that grand final second-chance advantage

courtesy of Energizer.

Next time,

a new cranked-up course...

MAN: The course has really been supercharged,

but I think I'm faster than every ninja here.

..punishes the remaining semi-finalists.

WOMAN: Just taking one extra second

could be the difference

between making it to the grand finals or not.

The fight is on between six Power Pool ninjas.

MAN: I've been training hard so I can go all guns blazing

and make it to the grand final.

As they attempt to knock out their rivals...

Being the reigning champ, there's a bit of extra pressure,

but speed is one of my strengths, so bring it on.

..in a race for a spot in the grand final.

I'm gonna hit that buzzer and make it to grand finals.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)