Ben Polson reveals the VERY odd way the coronavirus pandemic helped him make history by being crowned Australia’s first-ever Ninja Warrior
He made history by being crowned Australia’s first-ever Ninja Warrior after four years, more than 636 Ninja runs and 106 grand final attempts.
And Ben Polson has revealed the incredibly odd way the COVID-19 pandemic played in his favour as he went on to win against runner-up Charlie Robbins by just one second.
Noting that many contestants thrive off the energy of the roaring studio audience, the 27-year-old told TV Tonight that the lack of people helped him ‘focus’ because he no longer had to ‘cater for the cameras and the crowd.’
!['I didn't have to cater for the audience!' Ben Polson [pictured] has revealed the odd way the COVID-19 pandemic played in his favour as he went on to become Australia's first-ever Ninja Warrior](https://i1.wp.com/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/08/10/13/31773548-8611749-image-a-50_1597061290296.jpg?resize=634%2C951&ssl=1)
‘I didn’t have to cater for the audience!’ Ben Polson [pictured] has revealed the odd way the COVID-19 pandemic played in his favour as he went on to become Australia’s first-ever Ninja Warrior
Ben admitted: ‘Personally, I actually quite enjoyed the fact that there wasn’t a huge amount of people there.
‘It felt more relaxed, almost like a training session where I could just really focus and not have to worry about everyone else and feel like I needed to cater for the cameras and the crowd.
‘I could just completely focus on what I needed to do,’ he concluded.
The Perth videographer managed to scale Mount Midoriyama in just 25.56 seconds and take home a whopping $400,000 during Monday’s grand finale.
Quiet time: Noting that many contestants thrive off the energy of the roaring studio audience, the 27-year-old told TV Tonight that the lack of people helped him ‘focus’ because he no longer had to ‘cater for the cameras and the crowd’
Ben was up against season three winner Charlie and Zak Stolz, who each needed to climb a 20-metre rope in under 30 seconds.
The three contestants were the first to attempt to climb Mount Midoriyama in all four seasons of the Channel 9 show.
Ben said he wanted to take his girlfriend, Olivia Vivian, on holiday to Japan, and plans to invest the rest of his prize money.
‘Four hundred thousand dollars is a lot of money! Especially during such a rollercoaster year,’ he said in a statement.
Watch him go: The Perth videographer managed to scale Mount Midoriyama in less than 30 seconds, taking home a whopping $400,000 during Monday grand finale
Reflecting on his win, Ben explained: ‘I wasn’t your average kid at school.’
‘I felt like an outcast and got bullied a lot. It wasn’t until I discovered Ninja training that I once again felt I had a purpose,’ he continued. ‘It helped me build myself back up physically and mentally.
He then added: ‘Conquering Mount Midoriyama is not about what I have received, it’s about who I have become.’
Winner! Ben said he wanted to take his girlfriend, Olivia Vivian, on holiday to Japan, and plans to invest the rest of his prize money. Pictured together
Ben, Charlie and Zak have all cemented their names in the history books, joining an elite group of only 14 people in the world who have scaled Mt Midoriyama.
The show will conclude with a two-part special finale on August 16, which will see the four best Ninjas from each state return for a chance at winning $100,000.
Australia Ninja Warrior: State Of Origin airs Sunday at 7pm on Channel Nine
Back for more: Australia Ninja Warrior: State Of Origin airs Sunday at 7pm on Channel Nine