Who is Strictly’s first contestant Harry Aikines-Aryeetey?
With the first Strictly celeb revealed, you might be wondering – who exactly is Harry Aikines-Aryeetey?
Harry is a former Commonwealth sprinter and TV personality, most commonly known for appearing as Nitro in BBC’s sports endurance competition series Gladiator.
© WireImageThe 36-year-old made waves early in his career by becoming the first athlete to win gold in both the 100m and 200m events at the 2005 World Youth Championships. In 2005, he was named the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year and the IAAF’s Rising Star of the Year.
Harry then went from strength to strength, representing Team GB at the Rio Olympics in 2016. He won his first bronze medal in the 100m race at the 2014 European Athletics Championships, where he also won gold as part of the GB team in the men’s 4 x 100m relay.
Harry went on to win gold four more times – twice at a European level and twice at the Commonwealth Games – and he also captained the British team at the European Team Championships in 2019.
Judging by his impressive athletic career – as well as his time spent on Gladiators – it sounds like Harry could definitely be one to watch in this year’s season of Strictly.
Back in February, Harry even teased his dancing skills in a video posted to Instagram.
But will his competitive spirit prove worthy on the ballroom floor? We can’t wait to find out…
