Featured Image Credit: @wldathleticshub/Twitter
Topics: Athletics, Noah Lyles, Usain Bolt
Luke Davies
A British sprinter has drawn comparisons to the likes of Usain Bolt and Noah Lyles after already recording a stunning 100m time.
Divine ‘Lightning’ Iheme, born in Nigeria but raised in Oxfordshire, appears to be a potential future star in sprinting.
Iheme, 15, has caught the attention of coaches after performing well at junior athletics events over the past few years.
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Notably, in August 2024 – while still in year 9 at school – he ran 100m in just 10.30 seconds.
100m world-record holder Bolt, 38, could not run at this pace when he 14 and returned a quickest time of 10.57 seconds at the same age.
The 100m gold medallist from the Paris Olympics in 2024, Lyles, 27, was almost a second slower than Iheme at the same age.
The 15-year-old’s time smashed the previous world age-group record of 10.51s set by Jamaican Sachin Dennis.
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To put this time into context, it would have earned him a spot in the 100m final at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.
And the records have kept tumbling for the teenager. Last month, he broke the 60m world record for his age group with a time of 6.71s, beating previous holder J-Mee Samuels' time of 6.74 from 2003.
Speaking to Sky Sports News, the sprinting sensation explained how he was “in utter shock” when he realised he had broken the record for his age group.
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"When I first saw it, I was in utter shock, I couldn't believe it!,” said Iheme. “I was jumping about, running around, I just felt so happy, but I couldn't have done it without God.
"Noah Lyles is a great athlete, and he's given me a lot of confidence to pursue this career, run quicker, get a better time.
"I feel like it gives me the confidence to break more and more barriers as I go through my journey."
And almost obviously, he was also quick to cite Bolt as a huge inspiration.
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"I've watched quite a lot of Usain Bolt's races and Allyson Felix's 200m, 400m and relays," Iheme added.
"Probably the first race I watched, was his [Bolt's] 200m world record, the 19.19, and I was inspired to pursue the dream.”