Thompson’s Station teen, Elijah Browning, will appear in the semi-finals of American Ninja Warrior Season 13 on Monday, July 19th.
Elijah has been intrigued by the Ninja Warrior since he was five years old when he first saw the Japanese version Sasuke on YouTube.
Fast forward to age nine where he met Franklin resident and former Ninja Warrior, Travis Rosen, at a surprise breakfast that fueled his interest in competing. Then at age 10, he began training with Rosen at Let it Shine which led to Elijah competing in National Ninja Warrior Leagues all over the country. In 2019, he won a championship title at the State Games of America.
Elijah then went on to compete on American Ninja Warrior Jr. and he received a call from host, Matt Iseman, to compete on the show with adults in Season 12 but due to COVID, the season and competitors were cut in half. Now at the age of 16, Elijah is headed to the semifinals in Los Angeles to compete. While Elijah couldn’t share a lot about the show, he did mention in the semifinals there will be ten obstacles that heavily focus on upper body strength that can easily tire a competitor.
During COVID, the Browning family would host Backyard Ninja Warrior competitions where they would have a crowd of a couple hundred people, stated David Browning, Elijah’s father.
To continue the tradition, this Sunday, July 11th, the family is hosting another Backyard Ninja Warrior event with competitors who compete on the American Ninja Warrior this year, as well as, next season. Competitors are coming in from Texas, Georgia, and Missouri.
Due to limitations on space, those interested in attending are asked to email David Browning to reserve a spot at [email protected].
To catch a glimpse of Elijah’s training, follow him on Instagram for the latest updates here.
