When Divine Iheme ran the 100m in 10.3 seconds as a 14-year-old last summer, it was a world record for that age.
To put that time in context, Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles’ personal best at the same age was about one second slower, while Australian sprint prodigy Gout Gout clocked 10.57.
A year on, Iheme holds the 60m indoor world record for 15-year-olds, which he set in January.
But he has much higher ambitions.
“I can see myself with an Olympic title to my name in the 100 and the 200, and hopefully it will happen,” says Iheme, who is nicknamed ‘Lightning’.
Born in Oxford as the third son of two Nigerian former international sprinters, Iheme was born to run fast – and his mum spotted it early on.
“I knew when he was in my tummy,” says Nkiruka Divine, who is not just his mum – but also his coach. “When I was pregnant, he kept on kicking.
“I am an athlete, his dad and my dad [were athletes]. When he entered primary school, that’s when we finally said: ‘Yes, we got a talent here we have to nurture.'”
Iheme is competing this weekend at the English Schools Athletics Championships, where he is targeting more success.
