The contestants on American Ninja Warrior have come from a variety of shapes, sizes, and ages, and Josiah Pippel is the newest star to come from an unconventional background. At only 15 years old, Josiah is one of the youngest ninjas to compete on the game show and overcome some of the series’ most intimidating obstacles. From dedicating half of his life to competing on American Ninja Warrior season 13 to his hometown and height, here’s all there is to know about Josiah.

Although Josiah is a trailblazer for teens looking to join the reality competition, American Ninja Warrior isn’t new to hosting the talent of young gymnasts. The show has featured passionate children from the ages of 9 to 14 since the spinoff series’ debut in October 2018. On top of allowing younger ninjas to compete on the offshoot show, the age parameters for contestants on the original American Ninja Warrior series have been growing more lenient for the past few years. In 2018, the age limit was lowered from 21 to 19. For season 13, the show lowered the age requirements once again, dropping the minimum age from 19 to 15 years old. While some fans were angered by the series’ new age limit, this adjustment allowed Josiah to make history on the show.

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Josiah first gained notoriety when he qualified for the quarterfinals on American Ninja Warrior Junior in 2020. According to NJ.com, Josiah was 13 years old and 5’11” at the time of his qualification. Josiah is from Moorestown, New Jersey, where he has been dedicated to his passion for American Ninja Warrior. Growing up, Josiah had even built some of his own Ninja Warrior obstacles to train on. In addition to preparing for his reality TV debut, Josiah’s hobbies include building and designing robots as a part of the Moorestown First Lego League robotics team. Most of his interests are just American Ninja Warrior. However, as Josiah’s mom Beth Phillips explained, “He doesn’t follow any sports teams… He lives and breathes Ninja!” 

The American Ninja Warrior Junior season 2 alum has been training for his opportunity to become a champion of the game show since he went to a birthday party at a parkour facility when he was only 7 years old. In June 2021, Josiah proved that 15-year-olds can hold their own on mature obstacle courses. Josiah secured his spot on the American Ninja Warrior season 13 semifinals after he took on the Mega Wall, hit the buzzer on the Warped Wall, and placed fourth for the night. American Ninja Warrior Nation reported that Josiah had been coached by Ninja alumni Chris Wilczewski and Najee Richardson. During the semifinals, Josiah proved to be a force to reckoned with despite his young age.  Josiah was the second-fastest to complete the course, leading him to a face-off at the Power Tower where he finished a second behind Vance Walker.

As Josiah advances to the National Finals, he represents the change that American Ninja Warrior has undergone since season 1 and he has proved that a Ninja can be any age. Josiah has dedicated his young life to polishing his craft and it has finally paid off big-time. Even though Josiah is one of the youngest competitors in American Ninja Warrior history, his legacy will last for generations.

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Sources: American Ninja Warrior Nation, NJ.com

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Christopher Davis
(915 Articles Published)

Christopher Davis is a freelance reality TV writer for Screen Rant. Since his graduation from Emerson College with a degree in visual and media arts back in 2019, Christopher has pursued the ever-evolving field of entertainment journalism. In his free time, Christopher loves to write, rewatch old seasons of RHONY, and work on his death drop.

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