Which players are advancing from Qualifiers 1 of American Ninja Warrior season 17?

American Ninja Warrior season 17 (Image via Instagram/@ninjawarrior)
American Ninja Warrior season 17 (Image via Instagram/@ninjawarrior)

NBC's American Ninja Warrior premiered its first round of Qualifiers on June 2, 2025. Hosted by Akbar Gbajabiamila and Matt Iseman, the show welcomed veterans and new athletes to try and champion the challenging obstacle course with an impressive time and advance to the next round for a shot at the $1 million prize.

Qualifiers 1 began in Las Vegas, Nevada, presenting the contestants with a difficult course featuring the Quad Steps, Log Grip, Block Run, Spin Cycle, Battering Ram, and the towering Warped Wall. Despite their efforts, only a handful could complete the task without landing in the water.

20 players made it through to the next stage of American Ninja Warrior, including Elijah Browning, Daniel Gil, Bray Weinacker, Luke Dillon, David Bergstrom-Wright, Owen Dyer, Grant Kiningham, Joseph Rouse, Austin Baron, and Darion Bennett.

Likewise, William Brown, Jessie Graff, DC Banks, Emma Pereyra, Isaiah Wakeham, Leo Heuring, Caitlyn Bergstrom-Wright, Cicilia Bogle, Avery Glantz, and Tiana Webberley followed suit.


What was the advancing contenders' qualifying time on American Ninja Warrior?

Tiana "Sweet T" Webberley, the 33-year-old fan favorite from Santa Clarita, California, took on the obstacle after a two-season hiatus due to medical reasons. She completed the race with a time of 1:26.92.

Bray Weinacker, a 15-year-old high school student and water sports enthusiast, attempted to finish the course in 0:55.23. He immediately earned a shot at the Mega Wall for an additional $10,000, but it proved to be too difficult for him.

Florida resident, DC Banks, was the eleventh athlete in episode 1 of American Ninja Warrior. He started strong but was defeated by the Battering Ram. However, he advanced with a qualifying time of 1:02.14.

Cicilia Bogle, a professional Trapeze artist from Florida, followed suit, unable to outperform the Battering Ram. She moved on in the competition with a time of 1:21.45. Owen Dyer, a 4-time Ninja veteran, became the next American Ninja Warrior competitor to complete the course in 1:25.78.

He was followed by Joseph Rouse from Arkansas, who conquered the course in 1:46.71. Austin Baron, who is also a Notre Dame student aged 19, came next and finished the task in 1:47.95.

Then appeared William Brown, who had previously competed in seasons 4 to 7 of American Ninja Warrior. After a 10-year hiatus, the 39-year-old veteran returned to try and complete the race, and he did it with a time duration of 2:31.80.

Despite losing his grip on the Battering Ram, Isaiah Wakeham advanced with a total time of 1:10.24. He was trailed by 3-time Ninja veteran Grant Kiningham, who pressed the buzzer at the finish line at 1:36.65.

Then came Daniel Gil, who breezed through the obstacles, reaching the end line at 0:51.89. He dedicated his run to his 7-month-old daughter, Isla Rose. American Ninja Warrior's next competitor was 17-year-old Emma Pereyra, who was knocked out by the Battering Ram. However, with a time of 1:04.57, she moved on.

Moreover, Luke Dillon advanced to the next round after completing the course in 1:05.59. Avery Glantz, Luke's girlfriend, competed next, but was taken out by the Battering Ram. With a time of 1:26.60, she secured a spot in the subsequent round of the series. Leo Heuring also progressed with a time of 1:13.03.

Darion Bennett, a New Jersey resident and a Ninja veteran, made his way into the semifinals with a time of 2:25.99. David Bergstrom-Wright appeared next, finishing the entire course in 1:09.44. His wife Caitlyn joined him in the semifinals with a time of 1:13.03.

19-year-old Elijah Browning from Tennessee showcased his skills by hitting the buzzer with the fastest time out of all participants at 0:50.75. The last contender to compete in the premiere of American Ninja Warrior was 4-year-old Jessie Graff, who finished the obstacle course in 2:47.47.


American Ninja Warrior episodes are available to stream on Peacock.

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Edited by Raina Saha
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