Great Britain may have found their next track sensation in Divine Iheme, a 14-year-old prodigy who recently shattered the world record for his age group at an athletic meet in Lee Valley.
Iheme clocked an astonishing 10.3 seconds in the 100m, slicing 0.21 seconds off the previous record held by Jamaican Sachin Dennis.
This remarkable feat places him as the third fastest ever on the European under-18 all-time list, trailing only Great Britain’s Teddy Wilson (10.26) and France’s Jeff Erious (10.27).
Born on January 1, 2009, to Nigerian parents Innocent and Nkiruku Iheme, Divine’s athletic prowess is no surprise.
Both his parents represented Nigeria at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
His mother, Nkiruku, also serves as his coach and is the founder of the PWD Athletic Academy in Oxfordshire, where the family resides and Divine trains.
Divine has openly shared his dedication to studying sprinting techniques from legends like Usain Bolt and Allyson Felix.
However, he emphasizes that his talent is innate. “I’ve watched quite a lot of Usain Bolt’s races and Allyson Felix’s 200m, 400m, and relays,” Divine told Sky Sports.
“Probably the first race I watched was Bolt’s 200m world record, the 19.19, and I was inspired to pursue the dream. I think my running style is unique and natural. It’s just a God-given talent.”
His mother, Nkiruku, praises his potential and determination.
“The speed is there. The technique is there,” she said.
“He looks at many other athletes and says, ‘I want to beat that person,’ and he looks at records and says, ‘I want to beat that.”
Known as “Lightning Divine,” a nickname that reflects his incredible speed, Divine has set the UK best times for the 100m and 200m events.
Despite the challenges, he remains committed to his dream of becoming a full-time athlete.
“I always try to make my parents proud. I want to make sure that in the future, they can just sit back and relax while I can get them gifts, buy them a house, buy them things for their future,” he shared with Sky Sports.
Divine’s journey is supported by Michael Ofo of SOS Management, who also manages British heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley.
With such a strong support system and his extraordinary talent, Divine Iheme is poised to become a star on the global stage.
Culled from Daily Mail of London