An Olympic silver medalist has revealed his rather unusual training partner as he’s pictured doing press-ups with a meerkat on his back.
Nijel Amos is on the track and field team for Botswana as a middle-distance runner. At the 2012 Olympics in London, he came second in the 800 metres, winning the country’s first-ever Olympic medal.
In a clip posted on Twitter, Amos showed an interesting part of his training session as he completed press-ups with a lone meerkat happily chilling out on his back.
He captioned the post: “It’s a journey.”
It's a journey. pic.twitter.com/GVDclkjPAU
— Nijel Amos 🇧🇼 (@NijelAmos) October 24, 2021
The clip has been viewed almost 35,000 times, and many people in the comments have referred to Timon, the famous meerkat character from the Disney film The Lion King.
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One person jested: “You are friends with Timon?”
You are friends with Timon? 🔥🔥🔥 https://t.co/c0Yo3sF4RA
— Nino graFithi 😎𓆗 (@NeroExp) October 28, 2021
Another person wrote: “What an adorable training partner! Who knew meerkats are so into sports?”
What an adorable training partner! Who knew meerkats are so into sports? https://t.co/FOjLVooBTj
— Pam Parsons (@BelleTheCat42) October 28, 2021
Someone else joked: “When Timon ditches Pumba for humans.”
When Timon ditches Pumba for humans🤣🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/SkUIABVMvb
— #DearAfrika (@wandilebrian) October 27, 2021
World Athletics, the international governing body that oversees athletic sports, wrote: “The perfect training buddy doesn’t exi…”
The perfect training buddy doesn’t exi… https://t.co/ox1wwCw00K
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) October 26, 2021
Back on The Lion King theme, another person suggested he enlist a Pumba, writing: “Now do a warthog.”
Now do a warthog 😃 https://t.co/mh2LLpDWbi
— Manelisi (@Manelisi_Biya) October 27, 2021
In the Tokyo Olympics this year, Amos finished 8th in the 800m final but still received a hero’s welcome on his return to his community.
The people in his hometown of Marobela gave him money and farmland to show their appreciation and celebrate his participation at The Olympic Games.
Amos wrote: “This is where I took my first steps, where I learned to walk and eventually run, where I began my athletic journey, this is my home. I am grateful for my community.”
