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By Patrick Lujan

Billy Navarrete sent in an audition video and was accepted to the qualifier of Season 5 of the American Ninja Warrior. (courtesy photo)

Some of us dream to play in the NBA or NFL or fight in the UFC. Billy Navarrete always dreamed to be a Ninja Warrior.

Since the first show of the Japanese  hit Sasuke (Ninja Warrior) he watched in 2006, the 23-year-old Upi Elementary school teacher has been hooked. It was fisherman Makoto Nagano he saw on TV who made it through all four grueling stages that got him on this dream ride.

“When he first won, I knew I had to do this,” said Navarette, who’s in Miami trying to qualify for the big show in June. “It’s been my dream since then.”

Always one to jump on couches, cars, trees and whatever else he can turn into a playground as a child, Navarrete made an audition video that he sent in to the producers of American Ninja Warriors Season 5 back in March. In a couple of weeks, he got an acceptance call.

“It was around April Fool’s (when they called) and I thought someone was playing a joke. It was crazy, I couldn’t believe it,” Navarrete said from Miami, where he’s preparing for the qualifier at 6 p.m. EST Saturday (9 a.m. Sunday Chamorro Standard Time).

“Now that I’m actually here, I’m so speechless right now. When you have a dream for a really long time, and then when you’re here, it’s like ‘Is it actually happening?’ I’m nervous right now.”

Navarrete’s parkour background will help him in his quest to be a Ninja Warrior. (courtesy photo)

His primary form of training is Parkour – the practice of  running, climbing, swinging, vaulting, spinning, jumping, rolling through different obstacles.

“I use my environment as my obstacle course.”

In preparation for the qualifier in Miami, Navarrete also added TRX and weight training at ISC, gymnastics at Island Twister, used the obstacle course at Pacific Islands Club, teaches Zumba, dances with Urban Individualsand and even built his own salmon ladder to boot.

The Simon Sanchez graduate will need to make it past the Miami qualifier in order to move on to the big show in Las Vegas in June.

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