Of the many racers at the American Ninja Warrior Oklahoma City Finals, only Grant Clinton and Daniel Gil were able to complete the course, thanks in part to a nasty new obstacle known as the window hang.
STROKE-SURVIVOR GRANT CLINTON
The Run of the Night belonged to 38-year-old rookie Clinton who was racing just six months removed from life-saving surgery following a stroke.
During his extended hospital stay, the former Huskers gymnast was told by doctors that he would never be able to strenuously exert himself again, but in Oklahoma City he emphatically proved the doctors wrong.
Grant Clinton is the first finisher of the night! RETWEET if you’re cheering at the TV! #AmericanNinjaWarrior pic.twitter.com/xF0GqphDtN
— Ninja Warrior (@nbcninjawarrior) August 2, 2016
The 5-foot-5 mortgage banker was the first to complete the course, punching the buzzer at
HOUSTON TO OKLAHOMA CITY
ANW sophomore Gil took a decidedly less arduous path to the City Finals. The day before the competition, he drove six-hours from his home in Houston to Oklahoma City, then slept in until 3 the following morning afternoon.
In addition to exacting hair prep before his ANW runs, Gil likes to power up with an open-faced peanut butter, avocado, banana sandwich.
The opera-singing dancer made a splash last season with luxurious locks that rival his girlfriend Abigail Ganzalez’ kinky curls.
HAIR APPARENT
Gil raced through the course in a time of 5:14.27 after making short work of the normally upper-body-busting invisible ladder.
During Gil’s run, Akbar Gbajabiamila raved to fellow American Ninja Warrior commentator Matt Iseman about the long-haired Houstonian’s place in the sport.
“There's a new top dog in ninja warrior — it's Daniel Gil. No doubt about it.”
54 GOING ON 20
In the other crowd-pleasing run of the night, 54-year-old Jon Stewart broke his own record in becoming the oldest ninja to qualify for the Vegas Finals. Stewart was one of the few competitors to reach the window hang, but ultimately succumbed to the grip-strength sapping power of the narrow ledges.
At the other end of the age spectrum, Stewart’s daughter is showing signs that she’s inherited some of her father’s ninja chops.
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