Hamden man wins ‘American Ninja Warrior’
Second champion in history of NBC competition
For the second time in the 11-year history of the NBC show “American Ninja Warrior,” a champion has been named.
And this time, it’s a Connecticut resident. Drew Drechsel, who lives in Hamden, took the victory in the season 11 national finals in Las Vegas, which aired Monday evening. Along with the coveted title of “American Ninja Warrior,” Drechsel also won a $1 million prize.
“American Ninja Warrior” is technically a game show — but it’s not for the faint of heart.
Each season, competitors speed through obstacle courses, throwing all of their talent and strength into overcoming endless grueling obstacles such as the Cliffhanger, the Ring Toss and the classic Warped Wall.
Many of the competitors spend years training. And most of them won’t make it through the courses.
In fact, the “American Ninja Warrior” courses are so challenging that only three people in the history of the show have completed all four stages of the national
finals within the time limits, according to official fan site American Ninja Warrior Nation.
So, although each season has a “Last Ninja Standing,” most seasons don’t actually have a champion.
Drechsel, 30, is the third to complete all four stages of the national finals within the time limits.
And, to complicate matters more, the first two competitors to accomplish “total victory” did so in the same season.
Both Geoff Britten and Isaac Caldiero became “American Ninja Warriors” in season seven. But Caldiero finished the course faster than Britten, and so was named the first champion, and the first winner of the $1 million prize.
That makes Drechsel the second-ever champion.
This season was Drechsel’s ninth time competing in “American Ninja Warrior.” In a Tuesday appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Drechsel said that the show’s producers contacted him after he appeared on a parkour TV show called Jump City: Seattle.
When the producers explained that “American Ninja Warrior” was an obstacle course competition, Drechsel agreed to do it.
In his first season, which was season three, he suffered a brutal knee injury during a course run.
On “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” Drechsel said he was in the top 10 before he blew his knee out. But the injury only spurred him to do better next time.
“That was the fire under me to come back and try again and get a fair shot,” Drechsel said.
Drechsel continued to compete as the show moved its national finals from Japan to Las Vegas. He was the Last Ninja Standing, the most successful competitor, in seasons eight and 10.
And with his continued success on the show, Drechsel opened up training centers across Connecticut. He co-founded New Era Ninjas in 2015, which now operates four locations of the Real Life Ninja Academy, in Hamden, Stamford, Windsor and Freeport, NewYork.
And although Drechsel’s championship comes after a long string of successes, this one also comes with prize money.
Drechsel told USA Today that Uncle Sam will take about $400,000 of his winnings as taxes. But the remainder will help him take care of his family, which is growing by one: he and his girlfriend, April Beckner, are expecting a baby boy in December.
The prize money will help Drechsel and his family move from Connecticut back to his home state of Florida, Drechsel told USA Today. He also plans to open more gyms and, per an agreement between him and Beckner, to buy a new pet.
“We made a deal that if I won, she would finally get a bunny,” Drechsel said. He calls his winnings “bunny money.”
Although Drechsel had been told that he’d receive his winnings within 90 days of the finale’s air date, Ellen DeGeneres surprised him with the check when he appeared on her show on Tuesday.
Emily Brindley can be reached at ebrindley@ courant.com.