Divine Ihem may be a name that everyone talks about in the future; The British sprinter has been compared to Noah Lyles after setting world records for his age group in the 100m and 60m.
Last updated: 06/01/25 10:08
Fifteen-year-old Divine Ihem broke the 60m world record for his age group in London on Sunday.
Ayhem, who has been billed as the new Noah Lyles, has twice surpassed J-Mee Samuels’ mark of 6.74 since 2003, posting 6.71 and 6.72 in the next installment of the BFTTA Indoor Series.
He is already fourth in Great Britain’s all-time 60m under-18 rankings, 0.02 clear of Mark Lewis-Francis’ record of 6.69 set in 1999.
Last year, Ihem ran 10.3 in the 100m, almost a second faster than Olympic champion Lyles’ best time at the same age of 14.
The teenager shaved off two-tenths of a second, a significant sprint margin, off the previous record and a bright future ahead.
“When I first saw it, I was in complete shock, I couldn’t believe it. I was jumping, running around, I felt so happy, but I couldn’t do it without God,” Ihem said, speaking exclusively : on Sky Sports News.
“Noah Lyles is a great athlete and he’s given me a lot of confidence to continue this career, run faster and have a good time.
“I feel like it gives me the confidence to break more and more barriers as I go through my journey.”
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The divine Ihem has debated becoming the fastest 14-year-old in the world after clocking 10.3 in the 100 meters last year.
Ayham reveals that Bolt saw him break into a sprint
If you want to be the best, you have to learn from the best, and that’s exactly what Ihem does.
The young sprint sensation, nicknamed ‘Lightning’ for his speed, has researched the best ever to do it and revealed how watching Usain Bolt as a child cemented his desire to become a world-class sprinter.
He also believes he has a unique and inimitable running style, just like the Jamaican world record holder.
“I watched quite a lot of Usain Bolt and Allyson Felix’s 200m, 400m and relay races,” Ihem said. Sky Sports.
“Probably the first race I watched was his (Bolt’s) 200m world record of 19.19 and I was inspired to make the dream come true.
“I try to slingshot as much as I can from the bend (200m) and continue to hold first until I cross the finish line.
“In my opinion, I think my (running style) is unique and natural. I’m not trying to model it off anyone.”
Ihem is faster than Noah Lyles at his age
Natural talent? Or in genes?
Iheme said Sky Sports he has already committed to represent Great Britain, even though his parents both previously represented Nigeria at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
His grandparents were runners and his mother Nkiruka Anu and father Innocent Iheme were both successful athletes in their own right; his father competed in the 100m and long jump and his mother in the 100m and 200m, like him.
Ayhem believes she was gifted with a unique talent, but also credits her parents, particularly her mother, who is her coach, for helping her make the most of her gift.
“I would say it’s a God-given talent,” he added. “But (it’s) also (worth noting) that my parents, who coached, helped me get there step by step to train faster, harder.
“The training has been really hard, but it’s paying off.”
