Throughout history, the United States has stood as a force in taekwondo, boasting a rich legacy of Olympic medal wins since the Sydney 2000 Games with an impressive tally of 10 medals. Yet, amidst this legacy of triumphs, the 2021 Tokyo Olympics marked a disheartening absence of male taekwondo athletes from the U.S. delegation. But, a new dawn is on the horizon as one athlete emerges as the beacon of American hope for Paris 2024: Carl Alan Nickolas Jr., aka CJ Nickolas.

In a groundbreaking achievement, Nickolas secured a quota for the upcoming Paris Olympics in January 2024 because of his second-place world ranking in the 80kg division. His stellar performance at the 2023 World Championships, where he clinched a silver medal, shattered a decade-long drought, marking his status as a trailblazer for American taekwondo. And now, as the Brentwood, California, native sets his sights on global dominance, a recent training teaser has sent amusement across the internet.

Taekwondo phenom CJ Nickolas goes into beast mode

In an Instagram reel shared by CJ Nickolas, the 22-year-old was captured in his rigorous training session alongside his coach, Gareth Brown. The video began with Nickolas in a side plank position on the floor, while Coach Gareth casually remarked on the day being Friday, inquiring if Nickolas planned to train the following day. After his pupil said no, Coach Brown said, “Let’s go then.” Nickolas then attempted to lift his leg slowly while maintaining the plank with loud groans of exertion. In a hilarious moment, he accelerated the movement, prompting laughter from Coach Brown, who quipped, “That was the fastest, slowest lift I have ever seen.”

Groaning, Nickolas retorted, “It’s not gonna get up if I go slower than that.” Despite the pain encouraged by his coach’s support, Nickolas finally achieved the desired position while holding the plank. The caption accompanying the post humorously teased, “sneakage peakage 🤭,” showing the demanding training preparing for the Paris Olympics showdown. As the video garnered traction, an outpouring of likes and comments from amused viewers emerged.

Online fans left in awe

The comment section brimmed with fans in awe of CJ Nickolas. One fan wrote, “That’s the fastest slow I ever seen,” chuckling at Coach Gareth Brown’s words. Reflecting on Coach Brown’s words, another fan commented, “You training tomorrow!? ‘No’ 😂😂. Well let’s get to it then!!!! 🔥🔥🔥” Another fan emphasized the importance of perseverance, stating, “No pain no gain…get it! 🫵🏾”

Someone else expressed admiration, saying, “You a beast big dawg!!! See you soon!!! Let’s Goooo.” Gushing with awe, one fan exclaimed, “MAN U HAVE THE BEST COACH. THAT’S WHY U R THE BEST.” As we bask in this outpouring of love and admiration for CJ Nickolas, set to represent the USA at Paris 2024, fans eagerly anticipate his performance and how his hard work will pay off in a triumphant win in the French capital.

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