It was a heavyweight weekend in Texas.
The WNL took its Premier Series over to Texas, where iconic gym Austin Ninjas hosted yet another big event. Austin Ninjas hosted both the Tier 2 World Championships and Tier 1 South Central Regional Championships, and course designer Nick Fordney continued to up the ante with a killer course for our Premier Athletes. Read on to hear how the competition turned out!
The Sweeps
A large number of competitors swept the competition, including Jamie Collins Jr. (Kids Male), Adelyn Oskvarek (Kids Female), Meredith Kim (Teen Female) and JoJo Grubesic (Amateur Female).
Mature Kids Male winner Aidan Collins also swept the competition, becoming the only clear on the Challenge Course in his division with an amazing save on the final obstacle, the Sky Hooks.
The Champions Came To Town
Many reigning and former World Champions arrived in Austin to throw down in the Premier Series, and they delivered. Two-time World Champion Kherington Andrews joined us in the Preteen Female Division, where she too swept the competition with buzzers in both the Placement and Challenge Courses.
Back-to-back Elite Female Champion Isabella Wakeham took third place in the competition with a buzzer in the Placement Course. She was surpassed on the Challenge Course by Madelyn Madaras and 2023 World Champion and Strongest Ninja Addy Herman.
Herman, our DGS-sponsored athlete of the week, came in sweeping the Elite Female Division. Her buzzer on the placement course was the fourth fastest on the course all weekend across every division.
Redemption Time Finally Came
Two athletes punched their ticket to the Finals this weekend after previous attempts of doing so. Kids Male athlete Jorge Armas had arrived to the qualifiers at both Ferox and Motive, but was shy of qualifying both times. Armas proved the third time was the charm, however, by clinching the fourth and final qualifying spot on the Challenge Course in Austin. After a month of competing, Armas is finally headed to the Finals.
2023 Young Adult Male World Champion Zack Keenan also was looking for a comeback. In the Motive qualifier, Keenan shockingly placed fifth on the Challenge Course, missing Finals by one spot. Like any Champion, Keenan made a return to the course in Austin. With a buzzer on the Placement Course and the only buzzer in his division on the Challenge Course. Zack Keenan swept the Amateur Male Division.
We’ll see all of these athletes and more at the Premier Series Finals. Finals will be held at Ferox Athletics on November 17-19. Congratulations to all of our athletes who qualified!
