Harry Aikines-Aryeetey

Last updated

Harry Aikines-Aryeetey
Harry Aikines Aryeetey Sainsbury's Anniversary Games.jpg
Aikines-Aryeetey at the Sainsbury's Anniversary Games in 2013
Personal information
Birth nameHarry Leslie Aikines-Aryeetey [1]
NationalityBritish
Born (1988-08-29) 29 August 1988 (age 36)
Carshalton, Sutton, England
Height1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) [2] [3]
Weight85 kg (187 lb)
Sport
Sport Sprinting
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)100m: 10.08
200m: 20.46

Harry Leslie Aikines-Aryeetey (born 29 August 1988) is an English sprinter. In 2005 he was named as the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year and the IAAF's Rising Star of the Year after becoming the first athlete to win gold medals at both 100 metres and 200 metres at the World Youth Championships. [4]

Contents

An Olympian for Great Britain at the Rio Olympics, Aikines-Aryeetey won his first senior individual medal, a bronze, in the 100 metres at the 2014 European Athletics Championships. At the same championships he earned his first senior title as part of the Great Britain team that won gold in the men's 4 x 100 metres relay. Thereafter, Aikines-Aryeetey won relay gold twice more at European level, and twice at the Commonwealth Games representing England.

Since 2024, Aikines-Aryeetey has appeared as "Nitro" in the BBC sports endurance competition Gladiators . He has also taken part in BBC Radio 5’s sports quiz ‘Fighting Talk.’

Career

Aikines-Aryeetey was born on 29 August 1988 in Carshalton, London to Ghanaian parents. [5] [6] He studied at Greenshaw High School in Sutton, London from 2000 to 2006. [7] [8]

His first major tournament medal came at the 2004 Commonwealth Youth Games where he won the silver medal in the 100 m. [9]

On 11 June 2006, aged 17, he competed in the 100 m at Gateshead in which Asafa Powell equalled the world record of 9.77 s. On 16 August 2006, he won the gold in the 100 m at the 2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics, held in Beijing, China, setting a season's best 10.37 s.

He was advised not to run in 2007 due to minor fractures in the spine that could affect later development. After an eleven-month recuperation period, [10] he returned to action in 2008 with a 60 metres personal best of 6.59 s in France to signal a return to form.

Aikines-Aryeetey was selected for Team GB at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics. As part of the men's 4 × 100 m relay team with Simeon Williamson, Tyrone Edgar and Marlon Devonish, he took bronze in Berlin with a season's best of 38.02 seconds. In 2009 Harry became a Lucozade Sport Ambassador he is also an ambassador for Mirafit.

During the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships, Aikines-Aryeetey had to pull out of his semi-final after qualifying third in his first-round heat due to injury. He then returned in August but was not up to full fitness and then took months to regain it for the 2011 season. In the 2011 indoor season, Aikines-Aryeetey returned to some kind of form, finishing second in the UK indoor championships and European Trials. After having qualified, he again was restrained in his heat by injury running 6.94. However, he ran a 200m personal best of 20.46 in La Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland in July. He went on to win the UK championships in Birmingham and qualified for the IAAF World Championships in Daegu with a time of 10.14.

Aikines-Aryeetey won his first senior individual medal in the final of the 2014 European Championships in Zurich where he finished third in a time of 10.22 seconds. In 2018 he was part of the relay team that took gold at both the commonwealth games and also the European championships, his second European gold (after Zurich 2014).

In 2020 he became British champion when winning the 100 metres event at the 2020 British Athletics Championships with a time of 10.35 sec. [11] After sustaining an injury while running in the 2021 European Athletics Indoor Championships Harry was forced to miss the Tokyo Olympics, though 2022 has seen his track return, being selected as a member of the 4x100m squad for the 2022 World Championships, the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2022 European Championships. Harry regularly trains at Loughborough University. [12]

Personal bests

EventBestLocationDate
60 metres 6.55 s Birmingham, United Kingdom 13 February 2010
100 metres 10.08 sBirmingham, United Kingdom13 July 2013
200 metres 20.46 s La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland 3 July 2011

Television appearances

In March 2021, Aikines-Aryeetey appeared on the MTV series Celebs on the Farm . He finished as the runner-up. [13] In May 2023, Aikines-Aryeetey was named as "Nitro", one of the Gladiators in a reboot of the television series of the same name to be broadcast on BBC One. [14] He also appeared as a contestant on Celebrity Masterchef in September 2024.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linford Christie</span> Jamaican-born British sprinter (born 1960)

Linford Christie is a Jamaican-born British former sprinter and athletics coach. He is the only British man to have won gold medals in the 100 metres at all four major competitions open to British athletes: the Olympic Games, the World Championships, the European Championships and the Commonwealth Games. He was the first European athlete to break the 10-second barrier in the 100 m and held the British record in the event for close to 30 years. He is a former world indoor record holder over 200 metres, and a former European record holder in the 60 metres, 100 m and 4 × 100 metres relay.

Jason Carl Gardener, is a retired British sprint athlete. A fast starter from the blocks, he won an Olympic gold medal leading off Great Britain in the 4 x 100 metres relay at the 2004 Olympic Games, and is also the 2004 World Indoor Champion, and a four-time European Indoor champion, at 60 metres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Lewis-Francis</span> British track and field sprinter (b.1982)

Mark Anthony Lewis-Francis, MBE is a retired British track and field athlete, specifically a sprinter, who specialised in the 100 metres and was an accomplished regular of GB 4 x 100m relay. A renowned junior, his greatest sporting achievement at senior level has been to anchor the Great Britain and Northern Ireland 4 x 100 metres relay team to a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics. Individually, Lewis-Francis has won the silver medal in the 100 m at the 2010 European Athletics Championships and silver medal in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Men's 100m final and numerous indoor medals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marlon Devonish</span> English sprinter (born 1976)

Marlon Ronald Devonish, is an English former sprinter who competed in the 100 metres and 200 metres. A prodigious relay runner with particular strength as a 'bend' runner, Devonish ran the third leg for the Great Britain quartet which won the 4 x 100 metres at the 2004 Olympic Games, and won four World Championship medals in the same event in 1999, 2005, 2007 and 2009.

Allyn Condon is an English former sprinter and bobsleigher. At the Vancouver Olympic Games in 2010 he became the seventh person to have competed for Great Britain in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games having already competed in the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craig Pickering</span>

Dr Craig Keith Pickering is an English retired sprinter and bobsleigher. As a sprinter, he was based at the Marshall Milton Keynes Athletics Club; however, he also ran for the University of Bath and Newham and Essex Beagles. Following his retirement from professional sport, he became an academic researcher and gained a professional doctorate in sports performance from the University of Central Lancashire. He relocated to Australia in 2015 and currently works as director of performance sustainability at Athletics Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simeon Williamson</span> English bobsledder & track and field sprinter

Simeon Oscar Williamson is an English bobsledder and former track and field sprinter who specialised in the 100 metres. Williamson, a London native, is the second cousin to 2008 Beijing Olympics silver medalist British high jumper Germaine Mason. He is coached by Lloyd Cowan, and his athletics club is Highgate Harriers. He is a former British 100 metres champion.

Matthew John "Matt" Elias is a retired Welsh athlete who specialised in the 400 metres sprint and 400 metres hurdles. During his international career he represented Great Britain. In 2003 he won a gold medal at the European Championships and at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens he finished 5th in the 4 × 400 m relay, He is also a part of Super Schools.

Tyrone Damien Edgar is a sprinter from Great Britain who specializes in the 100 metres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asha Philip</span> English sprinter (born 1990)

Asha Solette Philip is an English sprinter and former junior gymnast specialising in double mini-trampoline. She was the first British woman to achieve a global 100 metres title at any age-group, winning gold at the 2007 World Youth Championships aged 16. Following a serious knee injury in gymnastics in a championship in Quebec at 17, and a rehabilitation period of several years, she returned to athletics full-time in 2014, winning gold at the European Athletics Championships in the 4 x 100 metres relay for Great Britain, and bronze in the same event at the Commonwealth Games for England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Dasaolu</span> British sprint track and field athlete

James Dasaolu is a retired British track and field athlete who specialised in the 100 metres. He was the 2014 European champion over the distance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Bingham</span> British 400 m athlete

Michael Bingham is an American-born British 400 metres track and field athlete. The silver medalist in the individual 400 metres at the 2010 European Championships, his most notable successes came as a long-time member of the Great Britain and England 4 x 400 metre relay squads. A European indoor, European outdoor and Commonwealth Games champion in the long relay, Bingham won medals at every major indoor and outdoor championships available to him, winning Olympic bronze in 2008, World outdoor silver and World indoor silver (twice), in addition to the gold medals at European and Commonwealth Games level.

Mark David Hylton is a former British 400 metres sprinter. Hylton won a silver medal in the relay at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eilidh Doyle</span> British track and field athlete

Eilidh Doyle is a retired British track and field athlete. Originally running as Eilidh Child, she specialised in the 400 metres hurdles outdoors, and the 400 metres flat indoors, as well as the 4 x 400 metres relay on both surfaces. She represented Great Britain at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, and won an Olympic bronze medal in the 4 x 400 metres relay at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. Individually, she is the 2014 European Champion and a three-time Commonwealth silver medalist in the 400 metres hurdles.

Leon Baptiste is a retired English sprint runner who specialises in the 100 metres and 200 metres events. On the 4th of November 2021 he visited Rood End Primary School for the morning. He became the 100 m European junior champion in 2004 and won his first major title six years later by taking the 200 m gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games held in Delhi. He competes domestically for Enfield and Haringey Athletic Club and is coached by Michael Khmel at Loughborough University alongside the likes of Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Tim Abeyu and James Dasaolu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zharnel Hughes</span> British sprinter (born 1995)

Zharnel Hughes is an Anguilla-born British sprinter who specialises in the 100 metres and 200 metres. Born and raised in the British Overseas Territory of Anguilla, he has competed internationally for Great Britain in the Olympic Games, World Athletics and European Athletics events, and for England at the Commonwealth Games, since 2015. A double Commonwealth Games, double European Championships gold medalist as part of the 4 x 100 metres relay, Hughes has twice been European champion individually; over 100 metres in 2018, and 200 metres in 2022. In 2023, he broke both British sprint records, before winning his first global individual medal, a bronze in the 100 metres at the 2023 World championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dina Asher-Smith</span> British sprinter (born 1995)

Geraldina Rachel Asher-Smith is a British sprinter internationally active since 2011. In 2019 she was the first British woman to win a World title in a sprint event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daryll Neita</span> British sprinter (born 1996)

Daryll Saskia Neita is a British sprinter. She won a silver medal in the 200 metres at the 2024 European Championships along with bronze in the 100 metres at the 2022 European Championships, 2022 Commonwealth Games and in the 60 metres at the 2023 European Indoor Championships. She has also won several medals as part of Great Britain 4 × 100 m relay teams, including an Olympic silver medal in 2024 and bronze medals in 2016 and 2021, World Championships silver medals in 2017 and 2019 and European gold in 2018.

Reuben Arthur is a British male track and field sprinter who specialises in the 100 metres. He was a relay gold medallist with England at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, leading off the team of Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty, and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jona Efoloko</span> British sprinter (born 1999)

Jona Efoloko is a British sprinter. A former European youth (U18) and World Junior (U20) champion in 200 metres, In 2022, he was part of the Great Britain relay team that won European and Commonwealth gold, and World Championship bronze, in the men's 4 x 100 metres relay.

References

  1. "Harry Aikines-Aryeetey - Athletics Podium" . Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  2. "Harry Aikines-Aryeetey". teamengland.org. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  3. "The Gold Coast XXI Commonwealth Games, Participants, Harry AIKINES-ARYEETEY". gc2018.thecgf.com. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  4. Historic Double for Harry Aikines Aryeetey highlight of last day of the IAAF/Maroc Telecom World Youth Championships. IAAF (17 July 2005). Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  5. "Hot Harry at the ready". BBC News . 21 July 2005. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  6. "WATCH: Carshalton sprinter helps Great Britain win gold at European championships". Your Local Guardian. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  7. "Record Breakers!". Greenshaw High School. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  8. "Double date opens door to Harry in a hurry | Athletics | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  9. A rising star. BBC Sport (30 January 2006). Retrieved 22 February 2009.
  10. Britain's sprinting star. The Guardian (10 January 2009). Retrieved 22 February 2009.
  11. "Results list". British Athletics.
  12. Garrett, Lee (3 June 2023). "Meet BBC Gladiator Nitro of Loughborough University". Leicestershire Live. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  13. Brown, Nancy (8 February 2021). "Harry Aikines-Aryeetey on Celebs on the Farm: Is he married and how old is he?". Entertainment Daily. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  14. "New Gladiators Nitro and Diamond are showing their strength and speed". BBC Media Centre . 19 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.