Ocala’s own Nacssa Garemore continued his dominant run on the national stage this week, securing the third-fastest time during the Eastern Regional Qualifiers on American Ninja Warrior and pocketing a $10,000 bonus in the process.
The 18-year-old local athlete from Marion County was featured during Episode 4 of American Ninja Warrior, Season 18, which aired on NBC on Monday, June 29.
Competing against 80 top ninjas from across the eastern region, Garemore blazed through a newly tweaked course featuring the Shrinking Steps, Rollercoaster, Domino Effect, Kite Surfer, Wall to Wall, and the Warped Wall obstacles.
Garemore completed the course in 50.31 seconds, placing him third overall behind Kevin Rodriquez (45.27 seconds) and Noah Meunier (45.87 seconds).
By finishing in the top five, Garemore earned a direct ticket to Round 2 of the Eastern Regional Finals.
Because he finished the entire course in under one minute, Garemore earned the opportunity to take on the massive 18.5-foot Mega Wall.
He successfully scaled the structure, making him one of only two ninjas in the qualifier episode to secure the $10,000 cash prize.
The accomplishment marks the second consecutive season that Garemore has successfully conquered the Mega Wall and claimed the $10,000 bonus.
The most recent performance adds to a storied career on the show for Garemore, who is now a four-time veteran of American Ninja Warrior and a three-time national finalist.
Over his time on the series, Garemore has accumulated 14 total buzzers and holds the record as the youngest competitor to finish a 10-obstacle semifinal course in under three minutes. Garemore previously spent two seasons on American Ninja Warrior Junior, where he reached the Elite Eight in the first season and secured a second-place finish overall in the second season.
Born in Guinea-Bissau, Garemore was surrendered to an orphanage as a newborn and was later adopted. He arrived in America at five years old, and he notes that learning English was the hardest thing he has ever had to do.
Although he was homeschooled in previous years, the high school student asked his parents to let him enroll at Forest High School this past year so he could experience public school and socialize more with his peers.
Garemore is looking to build on the incredible momentum of Season 17, where he captivated fans for nearly three months and earned the number one seed heading into the final round.
Garemore ultimately finished just short of his goal in an emotional, head-to-head matchup against his close friend and training partner, David Bergstrom-Wright.
This season introduces even higher stakes and a new round to the competition featuring a supersized, three-lane racecourse called the “Tripleheader,” where ninjas compete in high-speed, side-by-side action. Hosted by Matt Iseman, Akbar Gbajabiamila, and Zuri Hall, American Ninja Warrior will culminate at the National Finals in Las Vegas, where the athletes will compete in an all-racing format for the $250,000 grand prize.
Marion County residents can continue to support Garemore on his journey by tuning into American Ninja Warrior on Mondays at 9 p.m. EST on NBC, or by streaming full episodes the following day on Peacock.
To share your words of encouragement for Ocala’s hometown ninja Nacssa Garemore, leave a comment below or submit a letter to the editor. To follow along and support him on his journey, follow Nacssa Garemore on Instagram.
Watch full episodes of this season of American Ninja Warrior on Peacock.