Harry Aikines-Aryeetey facts for kids
Aikines-Aryeetey at the Sainsbury's Anniversary Games in 2013
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| Birth name | Harry Leslie Aikines-Aryeetey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname(s) | The Carshalton Caracal Mr. H. Harry A-A Nitro |
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| Nationality |  British |
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| Born | 29 August 1988 Carshalton, Sutton, England |
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| Height | 1.81 metres (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 85 kilograms (187 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Sprinting | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 100m: 10.00 200m: 20.46 |
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Medal record
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Harry Leslie Aikines-Aryeetey (born 29 August 1988) is a British sprinter and TV star. He is known for his amazing speed on the track. Harry has won many medals for Great Britain and England.
In 2005, he became the first athlete to win gold medals in both the 100 metres and 200 metres at the World Youth Championships. This earned him the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award.
Harry competed for Great Britain at the Rio Olympics. He won his first individual medal, a bronze, in the 100 metres at the 2014 European Athletics Championships. At the same event, he also won a gold medal as part of the 4 x 100 metres relay team. He has since won more relay gold medals at European Championships and Commonwealth Games.
Since 2024, Harry has been known as "Nitro" on the popular BBC show Gladiators. He is a strong and exciting Gladiator.
Contents
Harry's Athletics Journey
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey was born in Carshalton, London, on August 29, 1988. His parents are from Ghana. He went to Greenshaw High School in Sutton, London, from 2000 to 2006.
Early Successes
Harry won his first big medal at the 2004 Commonwealth Youth Games. He earned a silver medal in the 100 metres race.
In 2006, when he was just 17, Harry competed in a 100 metres race in Gateshead. In that race, Asafa Powell equalled the world record. Later that year, Harry won a gold medal in the 100 metres at the 2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics in Beijing, China. His time was 10.37 seconds.
Overcoming Challenges
In 2007, Harry had to take a break from running. He had minor fractures in his spine. Doctors advised him not to run to allow his body to heal properly. After almost a year of recovery, he returned to the track in 2008. He showed he was back in form by setting a personal best of 6.59 seconds in the 60 metres race in France.
Senior Career Highlights
Harry was chosen to represent Team GB at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics in Berlin. He was part of the men's 4 x 100 metres relay team. The team won a bronze medal with a time of 38.02 seconds.
In 2010, Harry faced another injury during the IAAF World Indoor Championships. He had to pull out of his semi-final race. He worked hard to get back to full fitness for the 2011 season. In July 2011, he ran a personal best of 20.46 seconds in the 200 metres in Switzerland. He then won the UK championships in Birmingham with a time of 10.14 seconds. This qualified him for the World Championships in Daegu.
Harry won his first individual senior medal at the 2014 European Athletics Championships in Zurich. He finished third in the 100 metres with a time of 10.22 seconds. In 2018, he was part of the relay team that won gold at both the Commonwealth Games and the European Athletics Championships. This was his second European gold medal.
In 2020, Harry became the British champion in the 100 metres. He won the event at the 2020 British Athletics Championships with a time of 10.35 seconds. After another injury in 2021, he missed the Tokyo Olympics. However, he made a strong return in 2022. He was selected for the 4x100m relay squad for the 2022 World Athletics Championships, the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and the 2022 European Athletics Championships. Harry often trains at Loughborough University.
Harry's Best Running Times
Here are Harry Aikines-Aryeetey's fastest times in different races:
| Event | Best Time | Location | Date |
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| 60 metres | 6.55 seconds | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 13 February 2010 |
| 100 metres | 10.08 seconds | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 13 July 2013 |
| 200 metres | 20.46 seconds | La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland | 3 July 2011 |
Harry on Television
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey has also become a well-known face on television.
Gladiators: Nitro
In May 2023, it was announced that Harry would be one of the new Gladiators. He plays the character "Nitro" in the reboot of the famous TV show Gladiators on BBC One. Nitro is known for his "explosive energy" and his amazing 41-inch vertical jump. Fans really love his character. As Nitro, he will also host a spin-off series called Gladiators: Epic Pranks, which will air in 2025 on the CBBC channel.
Other TV Shows
In March 2021, Harry appeared on the MTV show Celebs on the Farm, where he finished as the runner-up. He also showed off his cooking skills as a contestant on Celebrity MasterChef in September 2024. In December 2024, he participated in the Christmas special of Strictly Come Dancing with professional dancer Nancy Xu.
See also
In Spanish: Harry Aikines-Aryeetey para niños
