British Sprint Prodigy Divine Iheme Surpasses Bolt, Lyles, and Gout Gout at 15
A teenage sprinting sensation from Oxfordshire is making headlines across the athletics world. Divine Iheme, a 15-year-old phenom nicknamed “Lightning,” has already recorded faster 100m times than sprinting legends Usain Bolt, Noah Lyles, and Australia’s Gout Gout — all at the same age.
Iheme’s rise began in spectacular fashion in August last year, when, at just 14 years old, he stormed through the 100m in a jaw-dropping 10.30 seconds. That time shattered the U15 world record, previously held by Jamaican Sachin Dennis at 10.51 seconds. To put his achievement in context, Usain Bolt and Gout Gout only ran 10.57 seconds at 14, while Noah Lyles was even further behind.
The time wasn’t just fast — it was historically significant. Iheme’s 10.30 would have secured a third-place finish in the senior men’s 100m final at the 2024 British Athletics Championships and would have been fast enough to reach an Olympic final as recently as 1996.
Reflecting on that race, Iheme recalled the moment vividly: “The timer was delayed. I saw 10.3 and I started screaming, shouting, running around. It was unreal — the commentator went crazy. I loved it.”
Athleticism runs deep in Divine’s blood. His parents, both former Nigerian international sprinters, recognized his talent early on — even before birth. “He kept kicking while I was pregnant,” his mother and coach Nkiruka told the BBC.
But for Divine, it’s about more than glory or breaking records. His true motivation lies in giving back. “I want to make my parents proud. I want to repay them — buy them a house, give them a comfortable future,” he said.
With his natural talent, humility, and powerful sense of purpose, Divine Iheme may just be sprinting towards greatness — not just as an athlete, but as a symbol of dedication, family, and legacy.
