'American Ninja Warrior' Finalist Kacy Catanzaro Is Shocked By Fame

"I had no idea how many people would care so much about it," she said.

ByABC News
July 19, 2014, 6:34 AM
Kacey Catanzaro celebrates after completing the "American Ninja Warrior" finals course.
Kacey Catanzaro celebrates after completing the "American Ninja Warrior" finals course.
Peter Larsen/NBC

— -- After becoming the first woman to make the finals of "American Ninja Warrior," Kacy Catanzaro became a celebrity almost overnight.

Nobody was more surprised than she was.

"I had no idea how many people would care so much about it," she told People. "I'm getting messages from my friends saying telling me that I am trending on Facebook and Twitter and that my video has 4 million views. It's amazing. My followers have skyrocketed 30,000 plus more in just a couple of days."

Catanzaro, who appeared on the show once before, blew away viewers by mastering each obstacle of the show's grueling course. Though she doesn't know what the finals have in store, she feels ready for whatever comes her way.

How Finalist Kacy Catanzaro Trained for 'American Ninja Warrior'

"The ring toss was something new this year and it was definitely a challenge, but I just took it slow and tried to stay calm," she explained of her strategy. "I just kept going and tried to stay calm and it was really helpful. I believed in myself and went for it."

No matter what happens in the future, the lifelong gymnast is happy to have inspired so many fans with her performance thus far.

"Being able to get the opportunity to be in that spotlight and put such a positive message out has been so amazing," she said. "It was a surreal moment."