Last year’s champion and fan favourite, Zak Stolz, has once again walked away with $100,000 after being the furthest fastest competitor in the Australian Ninja Warrior Grand Final on Channel Nine.
Stolz, 23, who made history as Australia’s first back-to-back winner, said: “I’m delighted. The entire field this year was incredibly strong, with ninja legends and the addition of the teens. So to be able to hold up another season title would have to be the crowning achievement of my Ninja Warrior career.”
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This season of Australian Ninja Warrior pushed a new crop of ninjas and returning warrior legends to the limits of their endurance on the fastest course ever constructed. For the first time, athletes aged 16 and 17 were allowed to enter the competition as the show welcomed the Attack of the Teens. Plus, in a world first, ninjas raced side by side in a sudden-death showdown.
After starting the competition with 150 ninjas only eleven survived to make it through to Stage Two of the Grand Final, including three teens: Daniel Waterman, Saxon Johnstone, and Ash Campbell.
Five ninjas then advanced to Stage 3: Ashlin Herbert, Jake Baker, Matthew Bowles, Zak Stolz and teen Saxon.
Stolz held his strong form, falling short of conquering the daunting Mt Midoriyama but going one obstacle better than Ashlin, his best mate, to claim the season six title of furthest fastest competitor on Australian Ninja Warrior.
Stolz added: “Anyone who goes that deep into the course could have won the entire series. It really goes to show how cutthroat Ninja Warrior truly is, with years of training culminating in a single two to three-minute performance. Maybe some season down the track I’ll be able to live out the dream of climbing the mountain again.”
Tonight on Nine and 9Now at 7.30pm, competitors – including Stolz – return in a new special, Australian Ninja Warrior: Record Breakers.