Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, a 37-year-old track and field athlete and star of the TV show Gladiators, known as "Nitro," recently shared his story about a rare lifelong medical condition. Late last year, a severe knee injury forced Harry to miss season two of the program. This incident once again highlighted the harsh paradox: his body possesses extraordinary genetic strength, yet his skeletal and tendon systems are unable to withstand such immense explosive force.

English team doctors were once amazed by Harry's rapid recovery when he was a promising sprinter. His muscles showed almost no atrophy despite long periods of inactivity. Blood tests later revealed the cause: Harry's body has a myostatin deficiency. Myostatin is a protein that circulates in the blood and acts as a natural "gatekeeper" to inhibit muscle growth. Harry described this genetic trait as "both a blessing and a curse."

Harry Aikines-Aryeetey possessed exceptionally developed muscle mass from an early age. Photo: Harry Aikines-Aryeetey

The real challenges began in 2007, when Harry had high hopes for the London 2012 Olympics. His muscles developed too quickly and powerfully for his bone density, causing spinal fractures that required him to wear a back brace for nearly one year. Once his bones fully developed, his tendon system became the victim. The Commonwealth Games gold medalist experienced repeated ruptures of his patellar tendon, hamstrings, and biceps tendon. He admitted his muscles were so strong that the only things that could be destroyed were his tendons.

Coaches always faced a complex challenge when designing Harry's training plans. They strictly prohibited upper body exercises, fearing that increased muscle mass would reduce his speed and flexibility. Even performing choreography on "Strictly Come Dancing" became a dangerous endeavor, as one uncontrolled movement could lead to self-inflicted injury.

Harry's explosive strength manifested early. At 14, he set a European youth record in the 100 m. Two years later, he became the first to win both the 100 m and 200 m at the 2005 World Youth Championships. However, this phenomenon of muscle hypertrophy, or "double muscling," is extremely rare in humans. The first case recorded in medical literature was a boy in Germany in 2004. In nature, scientists have found similar mechanisms in Belgian Blue cattle and laboratory mice with the GDF-8 gene removed in 1997.

While many might desire Harry's "superhuman" physique, the medical community warns that intervening with myostatin through drugs could lead to health disasters. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) promptly added myostatin inhibitors to its banned list in 2008 to prevent cheating and protect fairness in sports.

Harry is gradually transitioning towards entertainment but maintains strict discipline in his training. He recently completed 10 repetitions of 100 m sprints, each with a 90-second rest, maintaining a consistent speed of 13,5 seconds. The 37-year-old star asserts that while genes provide the raw material, it is hard work and determination that truly forge a champion.

Binh Minh (Based on NYT, The Sun, Essentially Sports)