Divine ‘Lightning’ Iheme – The British adolescent who is faster than Usain Bolt

He is the fastest 15 -year -old in history, but divine “lightning” has not even shown his face in the world when his mother knew that something exceptional was in progress.

“Even when he was in my belly, he was fast,” said Nkiruka Iheme, laughing. “I was,” calm “. The kicks! Oh my God! When he was young, you could not open the door because he exhausted. We were always, “close the door, close the door”. Divine has not crawled. He just had and then he walked … “

And now he springs at an unrivaled speed for someone so young.

Divine had already made waves in athletics, but achieved greater importance last August, aged only 14 years and only a few weeks after finishing the 9th year at school, he ran 100 meters in a ladder 10.30 seconds and 200m in 21.63 seconds. By way of comparison, the fastest 100m of the Australian drop of drop at the drop at 14 was 10.57 seconds and the 200m of Usain Bolt the best at the same age was 21.81 seconds

Divine’s time of 10.30 seconds would have placed him third in the British male championship 100m last summer and would have been fast enough to reach an Olympic final as 1992. It was as almost faster as Noah Lyles at Same age and demolished the previous record for global age group of 10.51 seconds by Jamaica Sachin Dennis.

Divine was again last month, beating the best in the world of 60m indoors for a 15-year-old in 6.71 seconds to exceed a record established by the American sprinter J-Mee Samuels in 2002. He will be in action On the same distance at the British Championships for those under 17 in the room, when the English Sports Institute in Sheffield arrives at the virtual stop for its race.

During the preparation of this week on his track outside local Path in Oxford, there were certainly glimpse of a unique talent, especially when he sometimes accelerated after practicing his start and suddenly took off like a Formula 1 car moving in Turbo. An ability to stay low for so long has been instantly striking.

Just as impressive was the exaggerated feeling of an unpretentious young athlete who appreciates his sport while prospering in a training group focused on the community which is under-being by faith (they pray together before training), Pleasure and meticulous focus on technique.

Mother Nkiruka, herself an international sprinter for Nigeria before moving to England after the 2002 Commonwealth Games, is also the practical coach of the PWD Athletics Academy. To the frequent sound of a whistle, she corrects, advises and constantly encourages her young athletes. Nkiruka previously spent almost a decade in the British army where she also acquired what she calls “her military voice”.

“It is difficult – really difficult – very specific,” explains Divine, provoking another smile from her mother. “He likes to run so much, so much,” says Nkiruka. “He does not want to miss his training, so if he does not do his homework, it’s” no training “. The language we use is: “no pain, no gain” or “pay now, play later”. Some children are just in the house to play games. »»

Divine’s father, Innocent, was also an international sprinter. The iHes have two older sons – 19 -year -old praise and 17 -year -old wisdom, who love football and athletics – and they started to lead Divine Informally at the age of seven. Family videos of hills rehearsals and obstacle jumps already confirm both an impressive arm reader and eyes filled with steel determination.

School sports days would soon become a procession – “I would always win the 75m Dash and the 200m by a big margin”, explains Divine, even if the memories of the Quadkids program at the Radley Athletics Club are rather more mixed.

In addition to its sprint and favorite leap, this would also include the launch of a vortex (a kind of foam javelin for children) and a mini endurance test of more than 600 m. “I hated the 600m – I remember crying,” said Divine, who started focusing on the sprint in 2022 when he was 12 years old. “I thought,” Yeah, I can do my own events and I want to take this seriously from now on. ” Mom didn’t want to push me before I said I wanted to do it. All she says is “focusing on the only main objective”. Two years ago, I ran my first less than 11 seconds – 10.86 at the age of 13 – it was my first great thing. I just worked and work gradually. »»

After winning several national age group titles, its exploits reached an international audience in August with this spectacular race in Lee Valley in 10.30 seconds.

“I remember the day the stopwatch was delayed,” he said. “I was crouching, in the meantime. I saw 10.3 and I started screaming and screaming and running. I was really surprised. The commentator began to go crazy. It was an incredible experience. I loved it.

His mother visited his family at the time in Nigeria, but they were able to look at images of the race. “We jump from top to bottom,” said Nkiruka. She thinks that Divine could go “a lot” faster this year, but is naturally cautious by suggestion that he is not already so far from 10 seconds. He is still 15 months old, after all, before he even seated his GCSE.

“Let’s look and see,” she said. “We cannot say now. He is not competing with anyone, he just appreciates his training. If something comes, “wow”. Otherwise, “ok”. For the moment, I don’t want to put him pressure. He’s going to do well.

Divine says that additional attention since his world records was “a little difficult” because he was not used to recognition, but that he appreciates the experience of meeting new people. So, what did his school friends do?

“They always say,” I cannot believe that I am a friend with the world record holder, “he said. “It’s really good. They are really happy for me. And what about people he courses and invariably beats? “They are all very happy for me – they also use me as a target.”

The long -term emphasis is obvious by looking at the group train. Once Divine has helped prepare the equipment, they start a session which is a question of flexibility, technique and explosive reaction outside the blocks. They only train three times a week and, as Divine’s physique still confirms, it has not been exposed to any significant bodybuilding.

“This winter, we did not do anything in the gymnasium,” explains Nkiruka. “We use the body as a weight – delimitation, jumps, sometimes press. Everyone can run but the technique is essential if you want to have a career. »»

The PWD of the Nkiruka Academy means “power, will and conduct” and it says that the emphasis is placed on the creation of a family sensation that belonging and confidence. “I know what’s inside and I encourage them to let him go,” she says.

Ruby Rogers is one of the Divine’s training partners and herself classified among the country’s main young sprinters. She highlights “the humility, concentration and faith” of her friend, and says that her success inspires the whole group. Divine was also invited to compete next Saturday in the “Keely Klassic”, a celebration of a day of athletics in Birmingham which will include the quest for Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson for the record of the World Indoor 800m.

Between the training, he frequented the church every Friday and Sunday. His favorite subjects at school are business studies and EP, in which he particularly likes volleyball and badminton, as well as learning the psychology of sport. He distinguishes Lyles, Dina Asher-Smith, Shericka Jackson and Letsile Tebogo as his favorite sprinters, although the first race he remembers was the world record of 19.19 seconds 200m from Bolt. Which was established in 2009; The same year, he was born.

“I met Dina [Asher-Smith] “She said she would wait to see me in the GB team in the future,” he said. And what is the ambition? “I would just love to participate in the Olympic Games for Great Britain, direct the 100m at the apartment, the 200m apartment and the relays.”