Video Shout-Out from Jordan Papandrea

Jordan Papandrea is a former elite gymnast and Australian Ninja Warrior finalist, known for his longevity in high-performance sport and his ability to return to competition after serious injury.

Starting gymnastics at age five, Jordan competed nationally and internationally for over 20 years, training up to 25 hours per week. He became a familiar face on Australian Ninja Warrior, competing across five seasons and reaching the Grand Finals four times.

Fracturing two lower vertebrae in his back just before the national championships in 2017, Jordan continued to train and use the gym to aid in his recovery. He has come through the experience both mentally and physically stronger.

Jordan has also managed to break his right leg on two different occasions, competing in the same gymnastics apparatus just briefly before taking on the Australian Ninja Warrior course. Shortly after breaking his leg, Jordan returned to the gymnastics competition floor to become an apparatus Australian National Champion (a lifelong goal). No matter the injury, Jordan is quick to return to the gym in a true display of determination and resilience.

Beyond competition, Jordan’s experiences in elite sport led him to develop a strong interest in mental resilience, performance under pressure, and identity beyond results. He studied health and psychology at university, completing postgraduate training in Clinical Psychology. This background now informs his work with youth, adults, athletes and high performers, bridging lived experience with evidence-based performance and mental skills.

Jordan is an experienced public speaker, presenting to schools, sporting organisations, and corporate audiences on resilience, mindset, pressure, injury recovery, and navigating setbacks in high-performance environments.

Profile Summary

• Location: Sydney, Australia

• Primary Focus: Elite Sport & Performance

• Profession: Clinical Psychology Registrar
  

• Background: Former elite gymnast & Australian Ninja Warrior finalist

• Key Achievements: Australian National Champion; 5× Australian Ninja Warrior competitor

• Speaking Topics: Resilience, performance mindset, injury recovery, pressure, identity beyond sport