(NBC 26) — He's serving up the wings and the skills! Jawon Turner from Sheboygan qualified for the American Ninja Warrior semi-finals on Monday night.
Turner is a first-time Ninja who serves hot wings on the side. Before taking on the six obstacles in the qualifying course, Turner served hosts Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbaja-Biamila some spicy wings.
Making the course look easy, Turner flew past the pole vault, greased lightning and the domino effect, the first three obstacles before facing the Getaway.
At the Getaway; an obstacle consisting of a circular basket attached to a large disk, a ring rested on a cradle, and a money bag attached to a zipline, Turner held onto the money bag by his fingertips before pulling himself up to a platform to head onto the next obstacle.
Turner's family was cheering loud and proud when he headed into the fifth obstacle, Ring the Bells.
As the second to last obstacle on the course, Ring the Bells is known for taking out athletes before they finish the course. Both Iseman and Gbaja-Biamila noted Ring the Bells took out half the pool of Ninja athletes in previous qualifying rounds.
Both of the hosts joked Turner's arms were "frying out" as the signs of muscle fatigue started to show while Turner was swinging on the first of four bells.
While on the third of four total bells, Turner missed his last grab, and he fell to the water, ending his run after 1:49:43.
Ring the Bells is just one of seven new obstacles in season 15 of American Ninja Warrior designed to make the course better and to keep Ninjas on their toes.
Although Turner was taken out by Ring the Bells, he still qualified for the semi-finals.
Season 15 of American Ninja Warrior marks the first time Ninjas will compete against each other simultaneously in a runoff round. Also for the first time, Ninjas will have to complete all six obstacle courses in a designated time for a shot at a $10,000 prize. And to top it all off, the Mega Wall has been upgraded to a whopping 18.5 feet tall; the biggest in American Ninja Warrior history.
American Ninja Warrior airs at 7 p.m. Monday on NBC, with episodes airing the next day on Peacock.
