Enock Uwizeye, an online content creator from Rwanda, faced the challenge of his dreams during a push-up contest in Ghana against Ashton Hall.

On June 28, it was surprisingly Hall who tapped out first. The pair traded through roughly 70 push-ups in a continuous flow before Hall stopped. Uwizeye, famously known as Kagarara, kept at it with a few effortless clap push-ups in between, pushing his total past 80.

"Rwandan fitness influencer @ashton_small01 flies to Ghana to link up with his mentor & American fitness influencer @ashtonhall where the two engaged in a friendly push-up battle during their visit to Ghana’s iconic Independence Square as part of Hall’s African tour," Ghkwaku posted on Instagram.

"I was born disabled. Many people told me there were many things I could never do. Instead of listening to them, I chose to prove them wrong," Kagarara said in a video message, according to the New Times, inviting Hall to the challenge before the two ever met in person.

The challenge included weeks of buildup on social media. Kagarara went viral after he posted a parody of Hall's morning routine; the clip ended with "Ashton Hall, this is Africa".

"I wanted to bless a creator. When I saw your page and the energy that you have, I said, 'This is him.' Ashton Small (Uwizeye's Instagram name), this is him," Hall said when the two finally connected at Ghana's international airport.

From comedy skits to global recognition

Ashton Hall showed great respect for Kagarara's disability, who has short stature. Hall recognized the talent despite everything. Kagarara is one of Rwanda's most recognizable digital personalities.

Based in Kigali, he built his following through comedy skits, music, and acting long before fitness challenges entered the picture, and his message has stayed consistent throughout: disability is not inability.

The Ghana challenge was not the first of its kind for the young man. Kagarara had already faced off against live-streaming sensation IShowSpeed in an arm-wrestling event while touring Rwanda and won, marking his debut in the world of online fame.

"I competed with IShowSpeed, and I defeated him. Guess who's next? You, Ashton," he said in the lead-up to the Ghana face-off, per Times Now.

Apart from the push-ups, there were other sessions where the two worked out with weights, and since then, Hall has agreed to come to Rwanda for another workout session, following Kagarara's invitation, which went viral on social media.

Do you believe that what motivated Kagarara to go beyond being a celebrity fitness trainer with millions of followers was simply endurance?

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Written by

Proma Chatterjee

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore