'She's most gifted female British sprinter ever'

Teenage sprinter Celine Obinna-Alo is leaving competitors trailing in her wake to such an extent her coach is already predicting she will be a future world and Olympic champion.

Obinna-Alo is only 15, but has broken the British 60m indoor record for the under-17 age group.

Her time of 7.34 seconds, set earlier this month at Lea Valley, beat the mark set back in 2007 by Asha Philip and puts Obinna-Alo quicker at the same age than Dina Asher-Smith and Amy Hunt.

It is that raw talent which so excites her coach Richard Kilty, a bronze medal winner as part of Great Britain's 4x100m men's relay team in last year's Olympics.

His career is over after announcing his retirement earlier in 2025, but Obinna-Alo's is all ahead of her.

"It's not even my opinion, it's a fact - Celine is the most naturally gifted female sprinter that there's ever been in Britain," Kilty told BBC Radio Tees.

'Didn't realise my time was special'

That natural ability was evident from an early age.

Obinna-Alo had always seemed anecdotally fast as she showed racing against neighbours in the street in Middlesbrough.

And her father received a call from her primary school headteacher encouraging him to enrol his daughter in an athletics club to tap into this talent.

But it was teaming up with Kilty, a 4x100m relay medallist at the Olympics, World Championships, European Championships and Commonwealth Games and a world champion over 60m indoors, that has started to unlock that potential.

As befitting a Year 11 pupil, the sprinter, who now lives in Houghton-le-Spring and runs for Gateshead Harriers, remains slightly nonplussed about her achievements.

"I didn't realise it was that special," she said of setting the record. "I just thought it was like any other race.

"When I saw the time and result, I couldn't really believe it at the time. It was shocking."

Kilty says breaking an indoor record in December is a sign of his athlete's quality given this month is generally used as a tune-up for the indoor season in the new year.

The plan for 2026 involves the European Under-18 Championships in Rieti, Italy, and the World Junior Championships in Oregon, USA, when Obinna-Alo would compete against sprinters up to the age of 19.

It is all part of a process Kilty believes can take Obinna-Alo to the very top as they target an Olympics spot in Los Angeles in 2028 alongside the likes of Hunt and Asher-Smith.

"My goal for Celine would be competing in the LA Olympics in the 100m, qualifying for the women's team at the age of 18," added Kilty.

"I think she's that gifted, she can do that."

But that is only the start of what Kilty - who, like Obinna-Alo, hails from Middlesbrough - thinks his charge is capable of achieving.

"Ultimately, the goal for Celine is to become the fastest woman in the world and win world and Olympic titles," he said.

"With the ability I see in front of me and the support system of her parents, coaches, management team and sponsors, I don't see any reason why she can't do that."