State teen qualifies for ‘American Ninja Warrior’ semifinals
Evan Bomengen talked about his Tourette syndrome diagnosis and how ninja training helped him overcome the challenges that came with it.
In his spare time, 16-yearold Evan Bomengen builds and trains on obstacle courses in his backyard and local “ninja” gyms. This year, the Cromwell teen will test his abilities on one of TV’s most notorious obstacle courses.
Evan recently advanced during season 15 of “American Ninja Warrior”. The show features competitors running a series of obstacle courses with increasing difficulty in hopes of winning the title of “American Ninja Warrior.” During the June 5 premiere of season 15, Evan qualified for the semifinals after completing the obstacle course in one minute and 41 seconds.
“It’s really been my dream to be on the show and I know I had what it takes to compete. So I just said, ‘Hey, why not give it a chance?”” Evan said.
The incoming Cromwell High School senior has been training for the show in local gyms and his backyard since 2014. That year, while in the third grade, Evan was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome, a neurological disorder that causes repetitive movements and unwanted sounds, called tics. He was unable to play team sports due to his tics and the flood of anxiety made it difficult to pay attention in class.
Evan said he was able to make things better by joining the running club and through his obstacle course training. Whenever he was stressed, he would go to his backyard obstacle course and release his anxiety through the movements.
“It was really inspiring for me to look back and see all that I’ve gone through,” he said. “I’ve faced a lot of challenges over the course of my life through Tourette. And I felt
like ninja was a safe space for me.”
A meeting with “American Ninja Warrior” veteran Joe Moravsky at the Connecticut Science Center a few years later inspired Evan to take on the sport competitively. Moravsky, one of Evan’s heroes, was signing autographs and told Evan to follow his dream.
“I really look up to him because he is one of the best ninjas out there. Even he falls on the show sometimes, and that
really just goes to show that even the best ninjas can fall,” Evan said.
In 2016, Evan started competing in the World Ninja League. In 2022, he started training at the Windsor Ninja Academy. He changed his training regiment to twice a week at the gym after getting the call to be on “American Ninja Warrior.” He also coined the stage name, “Red Bom Warrior,” a reference to his red hair and last name.
During the qualifying round in Las Vegas, Evan said the biggest hurdle was nerves. But his confidence grew with each obstacle he passed.
“As I stepped off the starting line, it was like I knew this is where I wanted it to be. And I’ve been working towards this for the past eight years,” he said.
Evan plans to train at Stamford Ninja Academy, managed by Moravsky, and hopes his appearance on the show will
motivate viewers to learn about Tourette Syndorme and be more understanding toward people with the condition.
“I just want to show people that even though I’m small (and) I have Tourette, that’s not holding me back from achieving my dreams. And that’s exactly what I want other people to realize.”
The first round of the “American Ninja Warrior” semifinals airs Monday, July 31 at 9 p.m. on NBC.