Ramzan Kadyrov, a strong leader in Chechnya and close to President Vladimir Putin, gave his 5-year-old compatriot a luxury car for breaking a push-up record.

Rakhim Kurayev reportedly dedicated his feat of performing 4,105 push-ups in 2 hours and 25 minutes to Kadyrov, leader of the Russian republic of Chechnya.

The young athlete, called by local media the “Chechen Schwarzenegger”, is expected to repeat his feat next week to be accepted into the Guinness Book of World Records.

Kadyrov met Kurayev and gave him a white Mercedes car as a gift, the official RIA Novosti news agency reported on Thursday.

“Let your father drive you, you are worthy to drive a white Mercedes,” Kadyrov reportedly said.
It has not been clarified whether it was taxpayers’ money that paid for the £28,000 vehicle or whether it came from Kadyrov’s personal fortune.

After receiving his gift, the child started doing push-ups on the hood of the car and assured that he could break his record and do up to 5,000 push-ups.

On November 12, the Chechen Sports Ministry recognized Rakhim Kuriev as the new record holder for the number of push-ups: in 2 hours and 26 minutes the boy did 4,105 push-ups without stopping. He dedicated his record to Ramzan Kadyrov.