James Sannella is an 18-year-old from New Jersey, known for posting videos of him doing big moves on obstacles.
American Ninja Warrior 14[]
James first competed in the second qualifying episode. His run was digested, but he managed to clear the course in his rookie debut in 6th place. He later competed in the first semifinal episode. His run there was also digested, but he was one of many who failed on Kaleidoscope and he placed 16th overall, not advancing to the national finals. However, he did compete at the national finals as an alternate for Joe Moravsky, who had to withdraw due to COVID-19 protocols since his wife tested positive for it.
James made the most of his opportunity as an alternate. He completed Stage One with over 40 seconds left, and on Stage Two, he failed on Piston Plunge (an obstacle he cleared in the qualifiers), ending his rookie season for good.
American Ninja Warrior 16[]
James returned for his sophomore season in ANW 16, competing in the sixth qualifying round. His run was digested, but he made short work of the course, finishing and placing 4th overall. Since he finished in under 1:20, he was able to attempt the Mega Wall, though he was unable to beat it due to the fact he was wearing skateboard shoes during his run.
He went up against Gavin Obey in the second round of semifinals. The two were even for most of the race, until James ended up falling on the Spin Hopper, giving Gavin the win. Even though he wasn’t one of the top 2 non-winners, he managed to get to Vegas as an alternate for Jay Lewis.
At the national finals, his run was digested, but after a quick start, he failed on The Gambler, ending his second season.
Trivia[]
- He is the first competitor to advance to the national finals twice as a replacement.
American Ninja Warrior Results[]
| ANW | # | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Failed Piston Plunge (Stage Two) | Digest. Replacement for Joe Moravsky. | |
| 16 | Failed The Gambler (Stage One) | Digest. Replacement for Jay Lewis. |