UPDATE July 19

Last night Anthony Eardley of Oneonta, NY competed in the first of four semi-final competitions on  NBC's American Ninja Warrior. He made it through to the finals which will kick off on August 15 in Las Vegas! Congratulations to Eardley and we wish him all the best in his dream pursuit of the title of the ultimate American Ninja Warrior! Check back with us for updates.

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UPDATE July 18

See Anthony Eardley of Oneonta, a semi-finalist on NBC’s American Ninja Warrior on the big screen at Foothills Performing Arts Center at a free viewing party tonight. Refreshments will be available with proceeds benefiting the Otsego Refugee Settlement Coalition thru the Community Foundation. Masks are preferred at this event which runs from 7:30 to 10:00 pm. For more information, you can view the Facebook event page here.

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(Original story from June 14)

Is 4th time the charm? Oneonta's own American Ninja Warrior, Anthony Eardley will find out as he continues to compete on NBC's "American Ninja Warrior" which airs Monday nights at 8:00 pm.

It's Eardley's 4th appearance on the show but 3rd time making it to the city finals and after speaking to him this morning, he is VERY excited to complete his mission of making it through the extremely difficult American Ninja Warrior season 14 course. Eardley told me that it's the hardest course he's faced yet.

This past Monday night, he was shown competing in round 2 of the qualifiers held in San Antonio, Texas. Eardley almost made it to the wall! So close! Even though he wasn't able to make it to the end of the obstacle course, his performance was good enough (27th) to help him move on in the competition! There will be 3 other qualifiers with different contestants before the semi-finals in Los Angeles. The Finals will be held in Las Vegas. Check out this video Anthony posted on his Facebook page...

Eardley, at 31, is determined to complete the American Ninja Warrior course which is renowned for its extreme difficulty. How did he get to first compete on the show the first time around? It all goes back to when he entered and almost beat a top-rated Ninja in the Arnold Schwarzenegger Fitness Event in Ohio and got noticed by talent scouts who invited him to compete on “American Ninja Warrior.” He's been hooked ever since and keeps trying to do better each time he gets back on the show.

As an underwater welder-turned-professional athlete, he really enjoys working with kids, helping to bring out their own ninja warrior spirit. Anthony is so enthusiastic about helping children overcome fears and helping them build their self-esteem, all the while, making the activities and learning fun.

We wish Anthony Eardley great success in the competition. He calls himself "Mr. So-close Man" since he hasn't completed the course yet but it just seems to motivate him to do more and try harder the next time around. He is NOT the kind of guy that gives up as we can easily see by his track record and that's what makes him so inspiring. It's evident that no matter what happens on American Ninja Warrior that Anthony Eardley is already winning in life and will no doubt continue to inspire the kids who are lucky enough to get to learn from him.

LOOK: 50 images of winning moments from sports history

Sometimes images are the best way to honor the figures we've lost. When tragedy swiftly reminds us that sports are far from the most consequential thing in life, we can still look back on an athlete's winning moment that felt larger than life, remaining grateful for their sacrifice on the court and bringing joy to millions.

Read on to explore the full collection of 50 images Stacker compiled showcasing various iconic winning moments in sports history. Covering achievements from a multitude of sports, these images represent stunning personal achievements, team championships, and athletic perseverance.

Stunning Mural Transforms Oneonta, NY Eyesore Into Eye Candy

A building that the City of Oneonta plans to demolish, and one of Oneonta, NY's biggest eyesores, has been getting a major makeover thanks to artist James R. Mcilroy, owner of Wolfhound Studio which is a tattoo and art studio at 269 Main Street, Oneonta. Mcilroy has been creating murals on the side of the former Oneonta Sales building on the corner of Market St. and Chestnut St. Extension - a building formerly used as storage by the Twelve Tribes group in Oneonta. Now, instead of focusing on the ugliness of this horrible structure, the eye is drawn instead to the beauty of Mcilroy's artwork. Talk about a transformation!

CHECK IT OUT: 100 sports records and the stories behind them

 

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