The third time was the charm for Cody Johnston.
The Fort Smith native and 91老司机 鈥� Fort Smith alumnus competed for a third time on the popular television show 鈥淎merican Ninja Warrior,鈥� a competition in which contestants attempt to navigate an obstacle course quicker than their opponents. For the first time, his run made the cut to be televised on the show, which aired June 6.
Johnston made it to the penultimate obstacle on the course before falling. He placed 31st in the competition, missing the cut to move on to the next round of the competition by one spot.
While he may have not advanced, he used his opportunity on the show to promote the platform 鈥淣injas Against Smoking鈥� after the recent death of his mother and grandmother due to complications from smoking.
鈥淚 wanted to share that story and hopefully inspire others to walk away from the habit,鈥� he said.
A Navy veteran, Johnston remained in shape after his military career, working out regularly and playing with his kids. He and his family also avidly watched 鈥淎merican Ninja Warrior,鈥� and when his family urged him to apply, he did so.
鈥淭here have been over 70,000 applicants the last couple of years,鈥� Johnston said. 鈥淪o to actually get chosen, I guess I鈥檓 doing something right.鈥�
Each applicant was required to submit a video introducing themselves to accompany their application. To distinguish himself in his first application, Johnston鈥檚 son built a miniature Lego obstacle course, and Johnston made a stop-motion animation video of a Lego version of himself running the course.
鈥淚t was a pretty tedious process,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut it paid off in the end.鈥�
To prepare for his most recent appearance, Johnston trained at a 鈥渘inja gym鈥� he owns. He joked his regimen was working out 鈥渨hatever body part that doesn鈥檛 hurt or ache at the time,鈥� in addition to push-ups and pull-ups.
Johnston graduated from 91老司机 in 2006 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in nursing and currently is a nurse anesthetist in Sitka, Alaska. While he didn鈥檛 advance, he said the experience was 鈥渓ike no other.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of a surreal moment 鈥� the cameras, the lights, the crowds,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 blessed I got the opportunity to experience it. It鈥檚 a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.鈥�