NM Strong: Albuquerque's Ixchel Valentino advances to finals on NBC's 'American Ninja Warrior'

A UNM student known as the “Nerdy Ninja” advanced to the finals on NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior.”

Ixchel Valentino knocked off No. 1 seed, Isabella Wakeham, of Cypress, Texas, in Monday’s Season 16 semifinals. Valentino will compete in the upcoming finals in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Valentino advanced through the qualifiers after an impressive performance during the June 3 episode of the show, according to an R4Creating news release. She placed fifth on the show and won a runoff race to move on to compete against Wakeham.

Albuquerque resident physician, Steven Cen, also competed Monday night. He competed against Owen Dyer, of Bentonville, Arkansas. Cen fell short on a section of the obstacle course as Dyer moved on to complete the course and advance to the next round.

When not competing, Valentino is a full-time nuclear engineering student at the University of New Mexico and hopes to inspire youth to chase their dreams through her journey on “American Ninja Warrior.” She was one of more than 100 challengers selected from 75,000 people who applied to compete on the show.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to compete on ‘American Ninja Warrior’ and showcase my skills on a national stage,” Valentino said in a statement. “I hope to inspire others to embrace their passions, work hard and never give up on their goals. With dedication and determination, anything is possible.”

Valentino, who is warmly referred to as the “Nerdy Ninja,” is a local R4Creating competitor, according to the news release. R4Creating in Rio Rancho hosts a variety of robotics teams during the late summer to early winter season.

“Ixchel exemplifies the character traits that we instill in our students at R4Creating,” Shelly Gruenig, R4Creating founding executive director, said in a statement. “And what’s great to see with her is that being nerdy, doesn’t mean you can’t excel and have fun in activities outside of robotics and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).”

At age 5, Valentino began competing in various arenas including robotics, athletics and the 4-H program.

She has earned state, national and world titles for her robotics skills. Valentino also won high-point buckles and the county princess title while in the 4-H program. She served as president and leadership team member with the program.