Zhanique Lovett went from rookie to true American Ninja Warrior in just one run

Zhanique Lovett had never been on an American Ninja Warrior course before. But her run during the Los Angeles City Qualifiers turned her from rookie to rock star in just a few minutes.

Zhanique shared her painful backstory of a growing up with a mother who abused drugs and experiencing the insecurity of not having a stabile home. Now, a mother of three herself, Zhanique has focused her life on fitness.

We loved the calm calculations Zhanique made during her run. Look at her here on the Floating Steps. She’s not rushing it, but she’s making confident leaps.

A the Cannonball Drop, she got her legs up high. It looked like her thighs were helping her hang on to the ball, a smart move to save arm strength.

She demonstrated her ability to think through the problem agin on the Fly Wheels. She made sure she was looking exactly where she wanted to go before she went for it.

She lost momentum on the last wheel, which meant she had to make a scary dismount. Zhanique was THIS close to hitting the water. But she didn’t panic. She focused on getting her balance back.

On Block Run, it looked like she didn’t even move the steps!

Then came the Battering Ram. No woman had gotten past this obstacle. Zhanique had what was needed though.

She did it! She beat the Battering Ram. This left her at the intimidating Warped Wall.

In the end, she wasn’t able to get up the wall in the allotted three attempts. But her time and distance on the course left her in 24th place, meaning she was officially going to the City Finals!

With her family there to celebrate her, Zhanique stepped off the course a new rookie sensation. We can’t wait to see her back for the Los Angeles City Finals!

You can find a full recap of the Los Angeles City Qualifiers here.