Tonight on NBC their obstacle course competition American Ninja Warrior returns with an all-new Monday, August 13, 2018, episode and we have your American Ninja Warrior recap below! On tonight’s “Philadelphia City Finals,” season 10 episode 11 as per the NBC synopsis, “The top 30 Ninjas from the Philadelphia qualifying round face an even tougher obstacle course, including the “Captain’s Wheel.” Competitors include Najee Richardson, Michelle Warnky, Allyssa Beird, Jamie Rahn and Chris Wilczewski.”
Tonight’s episode looks like it is going to be a great season 10 episode 11, so be sure to tune in for our coverage of NBC’s American Ninja Warrior at 9 PM – 11 PM ET! While you wait for our American Ninja Warrior recap make sure to check out all our American Ninja Warrior news, spoilers, recaps & more!
Tonight’s American Ninja Warrior recap begins now – Refresh Page often to get the most current updates!
The cast and crew were back in Philadelphia for the City Finals on tonight’s all-new episode of “American Ninja Warrior”.
The course was once again split into two. The first half of the course consists of six obstacles. There were the Archer Steps, the Spinning Bow Ties, the Broken Bridge, the Wingnuts, the Lightning Bolts, and the Warped Wall. But moving to the back half of the course, the obstacles became even more difficult. There was the Salmon Ladder, the Captain’s Wheel, the Spinball Wizard, and it all ended with the Spider Trap. Most of these obstacles were a test of upper body strength and so it was imperative that no one tired themselves out too fast. They have to at least make it to the back half to be considered a contender for the Nationals and, as always, the timing was important. The first ninja to take this course for a spin was Michelle Warnky. She was one of three women that finished the course during the City Qualifiers and she again wanted to finish this course this time around. Especially as it’s been years since the last woman was able to do so.
Michelle’s run tonight started out strong. She made it through the first half of the course with little to no problem at all and had made it past the Salmon Ladder, which had been her bane in the past. Michelle had been doing well until she came across the Captain’s Wheel. Her grip had been strong at first and so it was her speed that proved to be her downfall. The longer it took for her to spin the obstacle, the longer it spent her energy. Michelle took too long on the obstacle and so she eventually got weighed down. It caused her to fall and her run proved to be over at the eight obstacles but everyone even the audience had still been hopeful about the ninjas to come. The next ninja was Darion Bennett. He had been a rookie and so far showed that he could tackle such a course. He had had a promising run and it had all ended much too soon. Darion had knocked his head against the Wingnut and hadn’t had a chance to grab on. And so odds are he won’t be moving forward.
Zach Day had been next. He was the youngest competitor tonight and unfortunately, his father passed away on the same day he received an invitation to ANW. It had come as a nasty shock for Zach because his father had been young and healthy however he decided to go ahead with the competition because that’s what his father would have wanted for him. His dad had been his biggest supporter when he was training for ANW and he liked to believe that his father was still looking down on him as he made his run tonight. Zach had started out strong and he hadn’t slowed down until the Captain’s Wheel. He had been showing off one minute and had run out endurance in the next. He fell early into the second half of the course and he would have to wait until the end to see if he was still going to the Nationals. Afterward, it had been Dave Cavanagh’s turn. He was the King of the Walk-Ons.
Dave was called that because he always seems to be on waiting on the line to the competition and so he’s hoping that gave others the courage to try out for the show no matter what. Since his early days, he’s become one of the great ninjas and many were hoping he would maintain that legacy tonight. He had come out quick on his feet and had easily made it to the second half of the course. There, he went on to become the first person to move past the Captain’s Wheel and everyone thought he would make it past the Spinball Wizard until he suddenly began to tire out. He started to go slower and then his hands just slipped. It had been upsetting ending to his run through the fact he made it to the ninth obstacle was a good sign for him. It meant he had a great chance of making it to the Nationals.
The next ninja to take a run at this course was James McGrath. He too was a veteran of the show and so the first half of the course hadn’t been a problem for him. It was the second half that tested him. James made it past the Captain’s Wheel and was the first person to make it past the Spinball Wizard. Therefore, James was also the first to start his climb on the Spider Trap. It had looked to be difficult for him from the very beginning. James started his climb and then it seemed he struggled with moving the barriers while keeping his grip on the walls. James tried to maneuver his way up the Spider Trap and eventually he lost his grip. He fell on the last obstacle but he made it so far and with such good timing – he will most likely be going to the Nationals. And so then it came to be Mighty Mouse’s turn.
McKinley Pierce was called Mighty Mouse because she was perhaps one of the shortest contestants and was still quite a strong competitor. She liked to said she got her strength from her mother and she put that on display tonight. She came out strong by going through the first couple of obstacles without any problem and so her height didn’t prove to be a problem until she came to the Lightning Bolts. She had used the trampoline to get a good jump and still jumped too low to even get near the first bar. She wiped out early and will have to wait to see if she’d make it to the Nationals. The ninja that went after her was Jamie Rahn. He came out fast and quick. He made it past the first half of the course and had gone on to have no problem with the second half. Jamie was the second person to make it to the Spider Trap yet he became the first person to finish the course. And so his time was the one to beat tonight.
Gavin Ross went next. He had just missed out on the 2016 Olympics and had begun ANW as a rookie. He was a trained sportsman and so he had no problem with the first half of the course. Gavin had learned from his first mistake on the Lighting Bolt and had past it this time around. He was doing great until it he came across the Salmon Ladder. It had taken a lot out of him to make it up the obstacle and so he didn’t have enough reserved strength for the Captain’s Wheels. He tired out and he fell. Gavin will also have to wait to end to see if he was going to Nationals. After his run, it had been Casey Rothschild’s. She had been a promising rookie and many were expecting great things from her. Only Casey suffered a setback on the first obstacle and fell on the Archer Steps. She won’t be going to the Nationals and it was an overall unfortunate run.
The next ninja to go up was Lucas Reale. He had been another promising rookie and had had no problem with making it to the second half of the course however he too had problems on the Captain’s Wheel and it took him out. Lucas would have to wait to see if he’ll make it to the Nationals. The following ninja had also been promising. Logan Kreglow had come back from a devastating knee injury and had been showed to be an impressive ninja. Logan had made it to the Lightning Bolts where he fell during Qualifiers and unfortunately he fell on the same obstacle tonight. His odds at making into the Nationals would have usually have been low except this course tonight changed everything. Only one person managed to finish their run by Logan’s turn and so that meant he probably was going to make it to Nationals.
Chris Wilczewski had been one of the last ninjas of the night and no one had had doubts about him. He had nearly died not that long ago and has since come back from that with a vengeance. He was one of the few that managed to make it up the 18th foot wall and so he made it past the first half of the course quite easy in comparison. Chris then sailed through the second half and became the person to finish the course yet he did so with the fastest time beating out Jamie Rahn. Afterward, it was Alyssa Bird’s turn and while she hadn’t finished the course like she wanted – she still went on to qualify for Nationals by making it to the Captain’s Wheel. And so the women continued to have a strong presence even into Nationals.
As for the last ninja to have their run, it couldn’t have been anyone but Najee Richardson. His gymnast background made him known as being a flyer and he once again showed that tonight when he flew through the first half of the course. He even went up the Salmon Ladder impressively. So he didn’t show signs of wear or tear until the Captain’s Wheel where he almost slipped and barely managed to hold on. Najee made it past that obstacle in the end and he went on to become the third finisher of the night on one of the toughest obstacle courses yet.
THE END!