We LOVE watching a good breakout star! There’s nothing quite like watching a competitor go from the unknown to the top of the pack every time they step on the course. This year, Amir Malik is living that dream.
The baker from Vermont took a bite out of the Qualifiers course, placing fifth overall for the night. He proved that wasn’t just a fluke when he returned for the Semi-Finals. He faced a course that was tossing seasoned veterans left and right, and he turned it into his playground.
You can (and should) watch Amir’s full run above.
No, it wasn’t a course completion, but it might be the closest we’ve ever seen someone come to the buzzer on an extended course without actually finishing. Amir began losing his footing in the Spider Trap. He was stuck at just the LAST set of doors, maybe a foot or two from the buzzer, when his traction gave out and he slipped to the safety mat.
His teammates from earlier in the competition, David Wright and Alex Carson, rushed forward to comfort the rookie, who was on his back, soaking in the disappointment. Amir suddenly popped his head up, and grinned impishly as he said, “I beat you” to David, who had fallen on the ninth obstacle.
We have a sneaking suspicion Amir has a good chance at a top performance again in the Finals.