ANW: Southeast Region Qualifying Round

To find the final fifteen ninjas who will compete to become the first American Ninja Warrior we head back to FIU's campus in Miami, Florida for the Southeast Region's Qualfying Round. Tonight we will find the top 30 ninjas who will advance to the Region Finals. The course, unique to the region just as we've seen in the previous 5 regions, consists of...

1. Quad Steps
2. Log Grip
3. Bungee Bridge
4. Jump Hang
5. Swing Circles
6. Wall Lift
7. Warped Wall

Some memorable competitors from the Qualifying Round:

Kamerion Wimbley: The second NFL player we’ve seen tryout for ANW in two years, Wimbley is a Defensive End for the Tennessee Titans. His stature gives him a big disadvantage on the course – but someone forgot to tell Kamerion that. He cruised through the first part of the course, becoming the first athlete to get past the Swing Circles. And then on his first attempt, the BIG man got up the Warped Wall. This will be a fun one to watch in the Regional Finals. Note: His day job did not define him in his competitor profile as he was shown with his wife and kids, looking the part of all-around family man.

Christian “C.J.” Koegel: For all the Real World fans out there, this is the aspiring NFL punter from the Cancun cast. Though he looked the part through the first two obstacles, a terrible tramp bounce left the cargo net just out of reach.

Ryan Stratis: This Mt. Midoriyama veteran is a heavy favorite and one of Jonny’s picks.  Having just been promoted to Captain in the Georgia National Guard, Stratis approaches the course with a military attitude – focused and cautious. Unfortunately, he stumbled on the obstacle he’s never seen as one of this feet slipped through the Bungee Bridge and hit the ground for a disqualification.

Drew Drechsel: A devastating knee injury at Mt. Midoriyama last year left him off his leg for over three months. Unbelievably, he was able to get through rehab stronger than before the injury. One of Jonny Moseley’s favorites (for good reason), Drew was clinical through each obstacle and blew through the course in just over a minute.

Joyce Shahboz: The 40 year old physical therapist handpicked Drew Drechsel off the list at work as a fan of the show. Her dedication to Drew helped to get him back even stronger than before. Quick through the first three obstacles, Joyce followed with what most women cannot do – a successful Jump Hang. Unfortunately, the next trampoline to the Swing Circles was just too far as her great run ended in the water.

Mark Shahboz: Inspired by his wife, the “professional computer nerd” had the bar set pretty high by Joyce. He never looked to be the athlete that his missus is as a lack of trampoline skills ended his run on the Jump Hang. Household bragging rights for the next 365 days go to Joyce.

A recap of (the rest of) the Region's top ninjas:

Dante Mucherino: This body piercer built his own ANW training ground and plans to open his own parkour school in the future. Great technique through the course as he became the second to finish in an exhausting run.

Ben Wick: The former Junior Olympian is a Level 10 (not sure what that means) gymnast. His acrobatic skills and agility translated into a fantastic run through the course, finishing in just over a minute.

David “Flip” Rodriguez: No longer a rookie, Flip’s expectations are high. Sporting his trademark mask, the parkour and freerunning teacher was very strong on the Qualifying course and didn’t appear to need his hands at the top of the Warped Wall as he finished with the only sub-1 minute run of the Region.

Bull Bullard: The first Harlem Globetrotter to attempt the course, Bullard is more than a basketball player. He hopes to show off his overall athleticism and versatility in a strong run. Always the showman, Bullard blazed through the course in entertaining fashion – waving at fans from the obstacles. Treating the Warped Wall like a basketball hoop, he jumped from the base as he completed the course in under a minute-thirty.

Jacob Siler: From Marietta, GA this lifetime gymnast nearly died as a child when his bunk bed was lit on fire by a knocked over lamp. Having overcome burns on 36% of his body, this course though difficult, is a manageable challenge for Siler. His strong run through the course came to an end as he was unable to climb the Warped Wall. Luckily for Siler, his time through the first part of the course was fast enough to claim the last spot in the Regional Finals.

Travis Rosen: Another Mt. Midoriyama veteran, Travis is as focused as ever. The 37 year old looked a much younger man as the former collegiate All-American gymnast flew through the course in just over a minute.

Tony Reddick: The local firefighter was a track superstar at FIU, so surely felt at home on campus. Reddick’s jumping skills (he was a triple jumper) paid off on the Jump Hang and Swing Circles. On his second Warped Wall attempt, Tony decided he’d be better off jumping as he leaped from his second step up the wall and grabbed the ledge.

Toshio Sidney-Ando: This half-Mexican, half-Jewish outdoor sport enthusiast combined his many skills and cruised through the course, climbing the wall on his second attempt.

Thoughts: I would love to see Kamerion Wimbley make it to Vegas, but as strong as he was this round I would think we will see an obstacle tomorrow night that will truly make his size a disadvantage. On the flip side, I think Bull Bullard could have the skills to advance, if he can keep his focus when he needs it. My top competitor from this region is Drew Drechsel, with the slight edge over Flip.

Is the first American Ninja Warrior in this bunch? Who do you see advancing in tomorrow night's Southeast Region Finals? Share your thoughts below.