Teens have a firm hold on American Ninja Warrior and the competition leagues

Season 13 of American Ninja Warrior has heavily featured the younger competitors who were invited to participate this year. They range in ages from 15-18 and there’s a good reason the show keeps featuring their runs.

These kids are unstoppable.

As they check off accomplishment after accomplishment, we can’t look away. Teens took the top completion time on three of the five nights of Qualifiers. Kai Beckstrand, 15, had the fastest time out of all the Qualifiers of the season. 24 invited teens advanced to the Semifinals. The show now moves deeper into the Semifinals, with more jaw-dropping runs from the youth surely on the way.

If that wasn’t enough to convince you that the next generation is here, take a look at what’s happened in the national competition leagues recently.

The National Ninja League held its sixth “Worlds” competition in New Jersey, June 26 - July 3. The titles of Elite World Champions went to Isabella Wakeham and Jay Lewis.

Isabella, 17, just made it to the American Ninja Warrior National Finals with a run to obstacle nine in the Semifinals. The last time we saw Jay (also 17) on the course, he was busy hitting the Qualifying buzzer, and he heads to the Semifinals next.

Just a few days ago (July 29-31), the Ultimate Ninja Athlete Association held their sixth “World Series Finals” in Las Vegas, NV.

The titles of Pro Champions went to Kaden Lebsack and Taylor Greene. You might remember Kaden from that time he snapped up the fastest finish on the second night of the season 13 Qualifiers.

Then there’s Taylor. You haven’t seen her on American Ninja Warrior yet because SHE’S ONLY 13 YEARS OLD (we are mentally screaming). But you have seen Taylor on two seasons of American Ninja Warrior Junior and from the multiple times she’s gone viral on social media for being a Ninja-boss. (Note: We previously said Taylor was 12. She is 13 now, but still, COME ON!)

Let’s put this in perspective. Previously, the titles we discussed above have been held by some of the biggest veteran Ninja names on the show. The face of Ninja Warrior is shifting. We’re witnessing a changing of the guard.

We’ll see more of the teens on American Ninja Warrior when night two of the Semifinals airs on Monday, August 9, at 8 pm on NBC.