Med student aiming for American Ninja Warrior success

Friday, March 26, 2021

BIXBY, Okla. — At Camp Ninja Warrior, a gym and obstacle course training center, Cole Verble swings from rings, jumps from angled wooded blocks and climbs walls as he trains to appear on the show “American Ninja Warrior.”

“I love pushing myself physically” said Verble, a second-year medical student at OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine. 

The Edmond native is traveling to Tacoma, Washington, where he will compete in the first round of the physically challenging course on March 30. If he does well enough, he said his run through the course could air on “American Ninja Warrior” in May.

Verble has always been active, competing on the OSU track team as a decathlete. After graduating, he then started participating in triathlons.

“I’ve just always made it a priority. I feel so much better after I do a workout,” he said.

Before the pandemic, Verble sent in an audition video and application to the show but didn’t hear back until January.

“I grew up watching the show and I thought it would be fun to be on it,” he said. “I submitted an application and thought ‘Why not?’ I didn’t think they’d pick me.”

When he got the call in January that the show wanted to fly him out to compete, he started focusing more on upper body strength and joined the Camp Ninja Warrior gym, where he trains three to four times a week.

While challenging, training for the show hasn’t been as tough as getting through medical school, Verble said.

“I’ve been doing triathlons since I graduated from OSU undergrad. I exercise an hour to an hour and a half every day anyway. It helps me relax and clear my mind,” he said. “Medical school is probably the hardest challenge in my life. But one thing I enjoy is new challenges.”

After being asked to compete, he had to go to his professors and ask if he could miss class and make up the work, and let some of his classmates in on the news.

“I don’t know if they’ll believe it until they see it. Some people were surprised, but they’re really excited to watch it,” he said. “They’ve been really supportive and very encouraging. They want to watch the show and cheer me on. I feel a lot of support. Win or lose, I’m going to be happy I got to do it.” 

MEDIA CONTACT: Sara Plummer | Communications Coordinator | 918-561-1282 | sara.plummer@okstate.edu