In case you missed it, you can read about the details of the race here. The really interesting thing about being in Jamaica while it happened was the level of attention that track and field was getting. Our driver had to pull over to the side of the road to watch Bolt humiliate a bunch of also rans in one of the qualifying races for the 200 meter. (I was immensely thankful that he did pull over – the thought of him watching that little TV while driving is too much to even contemplate.)

Every TV, every radio, was tuned to the latest news of the aptly-named Bolt as he toyed with his speed-challenged inferiors through each advancing stage of the championships. That he would win was a foregone conclusion. The only intrigue was by how much he’d win and whether he’d set a new world record along the way.

I took some good natured ribbing from some locals and one British tourist who wanted to know how it felt to have Jamaica “kicking our @$”. I smiled politely and complimented Bolt’s astounding speed, all the while thinking that Americans collectively couldn’t care much less about track and field. When Jamaica fields a football team that can match up with the Pittsburgh Steelers, give us a call. Heck, if they could find 11 guys in Jamaica that could match up with the Detroit Lions I’d give them their props.

Baseball, basketball, hockey – when the rest of the world can compete with us in team sports, I’ll start to pay attention. If they’ve got a guy who can regularly compete with Tiger Woods, let’s see him. Until then, Jamaica can own the 100 meter, 200 meter, and any other races they want. We use yards here anyway.

He also had an amazing block start this weekend. Last year some say that he kind of skidded out of his blocks, but he definitely burst out of them this week. He pretty much had a sizable lead 20 meters into the race. His only true opponent was the American Tyson Gay, but  he finished a stride or two behind with a 9.71 second time. Though he did break the previously set American record, the uproar of Bolt’s time completely stomped over Gay’s success.

He is only 22 years old, so perhaps that describes his actions. Some say that he is very unsportsmanship-like with his actions. This, of course, is something that you have to decide for yourself. A funny thing to note is the fact that while his race took 9.58 seconds, the rest of his victory lap took about 20 minutes. I sure am curious to see how this World Champion will fare in the sport of track.

OK, they are both similar in that they involve Japanese obstacle courses. But while Wipeout is a silly show featuring whatever housewife or insurance salesman the network can rope into it, Ninja Warrior is a serious competition, with 100 top competitors chosen from thousands of applicants. Numerous former Olympians, including several medal winners, have tried (and failed) to defeat the course at Mt. Midoryama.

As much as I’ve boasted about Ninja Warrior these past two weeks, there is one sport that is at least as fantastic and fun to watch. That would be The Women of Ninja Warrior (known as Kunoichi in Japan). Occasionally, the geniuses who developed Ninja Warrior will redesign the course to focus less on brute strength and more on agility and grace. The woman’s course requires a Spiderman-esque level of agility, as the ladies bop and weave their way through the obstacles on the path to total victory.

As previously stated, only two men have ever claimed total victory over Ninja Warrior. The club is even more exclusive on The Women of Ninja Warrior. Only one woman, Ayako Miyake of Japan, has ever defeated all four stages of the course – and she did it three times in three consecutive contests.
Ninja Warrior (and the Women of) airs in the US on the G4 Network, available on most cable systems.

Watching Ninja Warrior is a family affair in my house. The boys (ages three & eight) love it as much as I do. A word of caution – if you’re going to watch with younger children, you should be prepared to mute the TV or change the channel during the commercials. G4’s target audience is clearly not the under 10 year old ninja loving set – but maybe it should be.

You’ve probably never even heard of it, much less seen it.

Ninja Warrior is the name given to the challenging obstacle course located in Mt. Midoryama, Japan. The constantly evolving course is divided into four increasingly demanding stages. The first stage is a timed trial requiring speed and strength. Contestants must navigate the course by jumping, climbing, and running through the obstacles without falling into the ubiquitous waters of Mt. Midoryama.

One hundred contestants begin the tournament each year. Typically, less than ten will survive the perilous first stage. One of the defining characteristics that separate Ninja Warrior from other sports is the overwhelming odds against anyone winning the game. In the ten years that Ninja Warrior has been challenging athletes to compete for Total Victory, only two men have ever successfully completed all four stages.

The second stage is also a timed race against the clock, but speed is really secondary to strength as the athletes must climb and lift their way to victory. One of the few constants as the course has evolved over the years is the Lifting Walls at the end of stage two. After defeating all other obstacles on the course, contestants must lift and pass under three walls of 66, 80, and 110 pounds to reach the finish line.

A typical contest might see two to four contestants reach the third stage. Speed is no longer a consideration, as this level is untimed and is all about strength and endurance. More often than not, the third stage eliminates all contenders and the mountain stands victorious for another six months. Sometimes one (or rarely, two) contestant will reach the final stage, which is a timed ascent up a seventy-five foot rope to the top of a tower. Almost always, the fatigue of the first three stages combined with the severity of the final stage leaves the contestant defeated and gasping for air short of the summit.

Next week – more on this incredible sport, plus a look at the only athletic competition that’s even better than Ninja Warrior!