Most moms have an amazing feat or two (or more) to brag about. But until this past May, no mom could say she’d slapped that buzzer at the end of the “American Ninja Warrior” obstacle course.
Monday’s episode of “American Ninja Warrior,” filmed on Mother’s Day weekend, showed Spokane mom-of-three Sandy Zimmerman joyfully completing the course. As the crowd chanted her name, Zimmerman zoomed up the “Warped Wall” on her second try, then hung by one arm for a moment to savor her victory.
“I remember hitting the buzzer and thinking, ‘We did it!'” Zimmerman told the Spokane Spokesman-Review. “I had no idea the growth that I would have and just how much fun my whole family would have on this crazy journey.”
This isn’t Zimmerman’s first athletic triumph, of course. According to the Spokesman-Review, the 42-year-old former foster kid won a national judo championship as a youngster. Then she played basketball at Gonzaga University.
Gonzaga hasn’t forgotten, by the way: They posted their congratulations to Zimmerman on Twitter the next day!
.@ZagWBB alumna Sandy Zimmerman the first mother to complete an American Ninja Warrior obstacle course via @SpokesmanReview https://t.co/j2AzYecdAm pic.twitter.com/vuDrcs8J7l
— Gonzaga News Service (@GonzagaUNews) June 25, 2019
Elsewhere on Twitter, user @2D2Will noted that “Ninja Warrior” champion Makoto Nagano was wowed by Zimmerman (and her abs):
Even Makoto Nagano knows that Sandy Zimmerman is the real deal! #AmericanNinjaWarrior pic.twitter.com/rD4uaomFub
— William (@2D2Will) June 25, 2019
This little girl, Twitter user @she3_PO’s daughter, wins the cuteness award for her thrilled reaction to the win.
@ninjawarrior My daughter's reaction to Sandy Zimmerman. pic.twitter.com/6GdFIqCui3
— Capadawant Justice ð¦ð (@She3_PO) June 25, 2019
This year marks the third time Zimmerman has competed on “American Ninja Warrior.” In her first two attempts, she was eliminated on the second obstacle. That obviously wasn’t a problem this time around!
An elementary school physical education teacher, Zimmerman trains on a 40-obstacle course in the family backyard. Her husband, Charlie, and their three children also practice their ninja moves on the course.
Two of her kids — Brett, age 10, and Lindsey, age 13 — even followed in their mom’s sneaker-steps and competed on “American Ninja Warrior Junior.”
What’s next for Zimmerman? She qualified for the Seattle-Tacoma city finals round of “AMW,” which airs on NBC on August 12.
But before you see that, check out Zimmerman’s amazing, historic win on the treacherous Ninja Warrior obstacle course!
That’s a pretty amazing run for anyone, mom or not, am I right?
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for other great tips and ideas to make the most out of life.
