Meagan Martin has some momentum going into Night 2 of American Ninja Warrior‘s Las Vegas finals — but then again, so did several favorites who braved the gauntlet last week, only to suffer from, well, premature ejection.
“It’s one of the great things about American Ninja Warrior that also makes it tough — at any moment, anyone’s run can end on any obstacle,” co-host Matt Iseman reminds TVLine. “Seeing guys like Joe Moravsky or Travis Rosen or some of our top women go out [early] is heartbreaking, but it reminds you that it’s not easy.
“Moravsky was gunning for the million dollars, and all of the sudden you’re out on an obstacle you did the year before,” Iseman continues. “Last week was a stark reminder that any time anyone hits the buzzer, it truly is something special.”
A five-time competitor, Martin enters Monday night’s telecast (starting at 8/7c on NBC) with a host of superlatives. An elite rock climber from Boulder, Col., the soon-to-be-29 year old was third female to ever defeat the Warped Wall, and is the only female to complete the city qualifying course three years in a row.
And while she was the first woman to ever best Sin City’s Jumping Spider obstacle, Martin has never made it through Stage 1. (Last year, she timed out after ascending the Warped Wall on her second try.) Could this year be different?
“She’s consistently been one of the top women, and it’s always great to have her come out,” says Iseman, who included Martin among “a group of women who have raised the profile of the sport by showing, ‘You can compete with the boys, and you can beat the boys.’”
And make no mistake, impressionable eyes are watching.
As Iseman notes, “There are so many young girls who are watching and don’t see any other sports where men and women compete together, and where the women do just as well as, if not better than, the men.”
Press play above for a sneak peek at Martin jumping out of the starting gate.
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