World 800m silver medalist Nick Symmonds announced on his Instagram page today that he will compete on Season 7 of NBC’s American Ninja Warrior. Filming for the show will take place March 13th-14th in Los Angeles, California, but will not conflict with Symmonds preparation for the 2015 and 2016 seasons, which the 31-year-old says is “my primary athletic goal.” Symmonds submitted a video of himself training with strength coach Jimmy Radcliffe, which was then selected by ANW producers as a candidate for the show.

 

The two-time Olympian is no stranger to off-beat events. Back in December, Symmonds competed in Flotrack’s inaugural Beer Mile World Championships, placing seventh in 5:41. The Brooks athlete also made headlines in 2012 when he went on a date with famed hotel heiress Paris Hilton, telling E!’s Ryan Seacrest that he “always had a huge crush on Paris.” The date did not however lead to a romantic relationship. 

 

American Ninja Warrior premiered on NBC in 2009 and was inspired by the Japanese program Sasuke, in which competitors complete a series of obstacle courses that progressively become more difficult. The show has developed a cult following in the United States, with regional competitions taking place across the country. The show is a huge hit with the 18-49 age group, peaking at 5.4 million viewers last season. 

 

The big question is: who would win in an American Ninja competition, Symmonds or World record decathlete Ashton Eaton? Let us know!