Contenders, ready! Gladiators, ready! It’s almost time for those sacred words to be rolled out for a new season of everyone’s favourite ’90s game show.
This Saturday on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, Bradley Walsh and his son, Barney, will introduce 16 new superhuman contestants on the Gladiators TV show. Among them will be Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, aka Nitro.
Here’s the full lowdown on undoubtedly the fastest contender in the show’s history…
Nitro’s Origin Story
You don’t earn a name like Nitro without being fast, right? Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, an accomplished sprinter proudly representing Team GB, has been at the very top level of sport since an early age.
After becoming the first athlete to win gold medals at both 100 and 200 meters at the World Youth Championships, he achieved another milestone by winning the 2005 BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award at the age of 17.
Since then, ‘Nitro’ has gone on to win the men’s 4x100m gold at Birmingham 2022 and at the Commonwealth Games.
His record time is 10.08 seconds for the 100m and an impressive 20.46 seconds for the 200m. Blink and you’ll miss him.
Speaking on his newest venture, he said: “Becoming a Gladiator is another great achievement! A childhood dream come true!
“You never know what is coming in life, each day is there to be enjoyed and savouring all opportunities is a must! It literally gives me energy and strength! I can’t wait to be in the arena and bring Nitro to Gladiators!”
How Old Is Nitro?
You wouldn’t guess it by looking at him, but Harry is actually 35 years old. Born in Carshalton, London, to Ghanaian parents, he apparently realised his potential while trying – and succeeding – to outrun a dog in his youth.
How Much Does Nitro Weigh?
At 5 ft 11 in and weighing 85kg, Harry isn’t a giant like some of the other competitors, but make no mistake, he possesses the speed and strength to pose a real challenge for whoever he comes up against. You only have to check out his Instagram to see how explosive he is.
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey Instagram
Speaking of Instagram, Nitro is a pretty big deal on the app. With his background in professional sports, it’s no surprise that he boasts an army of 268,000 followers on his main page.
In addition to his career as a sprinter, Harry is an online fitness coach, and podcast host, and is sponsored by various brands, including nutrition giants USN.
Find out more about other Gladiators: Everything You Need To Know About Sabre From Gladiators or Everything You Need To Know About Phantom From Gladiators.
