Walkabout dancer to test footwork on TV face-off Going ninja to the top
TOWNSVILLE’S own dancing ninja is ready to follow in the footsteps of one of Ninja Warrior’s top competitors.
Danial Wyles-wall was inspired to apply for the show’s third season after living and training with “deadly ninja” Jack Wilson.
“I lived with Jack on the Gold Coast when he went on the first season and he really helped me change my lifestyle,” he told the Bulletin.
“He asked me to apply for season two but at the time I didn’t think I was ready for it.
“I wasn’t as good as Jack when we started training together. Seeing all the stuff he could do was motivation for me to keep going and get stronger.
“Come season three and I had to keep to my word. I put the application in and here we are.”
Out of thousands of applicants, Mr Wyles-wall is one of just 200 athletes to make the cut.
Since returning to Townsville he has continued his training at Studio I AM’S purpose-built Ninja Warrior gym where he also works as an instructor and youth worker.
“I just want to show kids that you can eat well, live good and you don’t have to sit on a phone or a tablet,” he said. “When you get them out on the course, they slowly come out of their shell.
“It opens up doorways for them to do other things.”
Viewers will see the 27year-old take on the reality show’s formidable obstacle course on Monday night.
“It’s this adult-sized version of a playground,” he said. “Some of the obstacles are a bit intense and I’d never used a gymnastics trampoline before. Jack said, ‘Don’t think about it too much and just go with it’. I just told myself, ‘Enjoy yourself and you’ll do good’.”
His background as a performer with The Wulgurukaba Walkabout Dancers should help him find his footing on some of the trickier obstacles.
“I’m pretty light on my feet and the free-flowing movements of the cultural performances should help,” he said. “I used my experience of dancing in front of big crowds to embrace the nerves, take in the moment and just zone out.”
>>Season three of Australian Nina Warrior
premieres on Monday, July
8 at 7.30pm on Nine.