An Arkansas priest failed to complete the obstacle course of NBC’s American Ninja Warrior in an episode that aired Wednesday night.
The Rev. Stephen Gadberry, congregation leader at Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Batesville, was one of 120 people selected from across the region to run the Ninja course in Dallas.
The 32-year-old Wynne native told Arkansas Online that veteran contestant Sean Bryan, a lay minister known as the "Papal Ninja," encouraged him to apply.
In the season 10 premiere, Gadberry was the first contestant shown taking on the six-part obstacle course.
He started off strong on the Floating Steps and made it through the Catch and Release, nearly slipping at the end. His run came to an end during the third obstacle: the Bouncing Spider. Gadberry was supposed to bounce off a trampoline and onto a platform but missed, landing in water instead.
OHHHHH!!!! Is it just us or did it look like Father Stephen was walking on water?! #AmericanNinjaWarrior pic.twitter.com/K5sIVspLef
— Ninja Warrior (@ninjawarrior) May 31, 2018
The top 30 finishers in each city make the finals, with the top 15 advancing to the National Finals of the show, known as Mount Midoriyama.
The course on the Las Vegas Strip involves four stages, and anyone who finishes Stage 4 splits a $1 million prize.