Zak Stolz, 22, has walked away with $100,000 after being the furthest fastest competitor in the Australian Ninja Warrior Season 5 Grand Final on Channel 9 and 9Now.
Stolz said: “Winning means so much more than just prizemoney to me. To be honest, the feeling is yet to sink in fully, but there’s a massive sense of accomplishment that comes with the title that I believe I’ll be able to reflect upon for the rest of my life and look back on whenever times are tough.”
After being conquered in 2020, Mt Midoriyama was back creating bigger, harder and higher obstacles to try and stop the Ninjas.
Zak and Mike Snow entered the finale with the advantage of a second-chance run and they both needed it. Mike just fell short with his second run, but Zak triumphed and powered through to progress to Stage 3 alongside 2019’s furthest fastest, Charlie Robbins.
Zak fell short of conquering the mountain but went one obstacle better than Charlie, and therefore winning the Season 5 title of furthest fastest.
Zak paid tribute to his late father, saying: “It is such a surreal moment and I know my father would be so proud of me. Not to mention putting a smile on my mum and other supporters’ faces. That is honestly more valuable than anything to me.”
Tomorrow on Channel 9 at 7.30pm, the best of the best competitors including Zak and Charlie return in a brand new special, Australian Ninja Warrior: Record Breakers.
For the first time ever, Ninjas will compete head to head on a unique Record Breakers course, taking on the Rising Mega Warped Wall, Ferocious Ferris Wheel, Sprinting Steps Showdown, Soaring Sonic Shelf Grab and Super Salmon Ladder, to set their own records.
The show will feature a total prize pool of $90,000 and the record-breaking Ninjas will receive $15,000 for each obstacle win.