We talk to the teenage sprinter who has made a big signing and is going places fast.

When renowned sports promoter and manager Eddie Hearn comes calling, you tend to take notice. In Bronson Hearn-Smith’s case, however, it was actually the 16-year-old sprinter who made the first move, reaching out to the Matchroom chairman in July 2025 after footage of him racing went viral. 

The reply came almost a year later, opening the door to Hearn-Smith becoming the first athletics signing for Matchroom Talent Agency. It has brought the Essex teenager into a world more commonly associated with boxing, rugby and mixed martial arts. 

There is an amusing coincidence in his name, too, with Hearn-Smith combining the surnames of Hearn and Matchroom CEO Frank Smith. There is no family connection, but it is quite the introduction.

The youngster first caught widespread attention through his distinctive running style. His long stride and relaxed appearance at full speed have helped footage of his races go viral. But, while social media has played a part in his rise, his performances on the track have given people plenty of reason to keep watching.

Hearn-Smith has been progressing under the guidance of coach Steve Garnham, who has also worked with British international Charlie Dobson. This summer, a milestone was reached at the European Under-18 Championships in Rieti, Italy, where Hearn-Smith took the 200m title in a championship record of 20.70 and will now look to further his success with Matchroom on his side.

How did the signing first come about?

Boxing has been around my family for a long time. When I was young, my dad always used to bring up Eddie Hearn and he always tried to get me into the world of boxing, but I was never really a fan. I did watch all the big fights, though. 

Because of the surname, it was either me or my dad who reached out in July last year, when my first viral video was published and went global. [Eddie] only replied a couple of months ago. He was amazed, I could tell. He asked me if I had any management, and I said no, not yet. The rest is history.

What was your initial reaction when you first heard back from them?

I did think: "This is a big boy in the world of sports.” I think my whole family knew it was a very big achievement. It's all written in the stars. It's like a script and we're just reading it. I've got no words to express how grateful and shocked I was.

We met Frank Smith at Perrywoods in Tiptree. He turned up in a brand new Discovery. We saw the car in the car park and we said: "That's got to be Frank Smith's car," because it was all kitted out. Then Eddie flew in from Monaco, where he lives, and we went to Matchroom HQ. That's where it all started.

I don't know what they're going to do, so time will tell. They're a powerhouse and anything you think can't happen, they can make it happen.

A lot of people talk about the way you race, your stride and how relaxed you look. Do you see it any differently?

It does look relaxed but I'm trying my hardest. I'm exerting my muscles as far as they can go. I know it looks like I'm jogging, but I promise you I'm not. It's just the way I run.

I think my body composition plays a really big part in it. I've got long legs compared to my torso and I use that to my advantage. My glutes and hip flexors are also very strong, which allows me to float across the track and get my knees up that high.

What was your experience at the European U18 Championships like? 

I was going purely for the experience. It was the first time I'd been abroad and on an aeroplane so it was going to be a big learning curve and a big barrier that I had to get over because, I have to admit, I wasn't looking forward to it at all.

I was thinking of ways to maybe get out of it because it was in a different country and you could only get there by plane or a really long car drive. It was hard. All my team-mates could see I was stressed when boarding, with a lot of leg twitching and stuff like that. I just had to focus on a couple of movies I'd downloaded to get past that first barrier.

You were drawn in lane eight for the final. What was your thought process before the race?

When I got lane eight, I was over the moon. I just love lane eight. My body composition really suits it, and the idea of a less steep curve makes it very straightforward. It's almost like running the 100m, to a degree.

I opened my season with 21.17 in lane eight, so I started and ended my season with a PB and a win from lane eight. That was almost another script written in the stars.

How did you first get into athletics?

I started training when I was around 10 years old. Primary school sports day actually got me into it because there's a video that my dad still has and I've just got that arm drive. It's not even the leg drive I had from a young age, it's the arms. That was inspiring to me, and it made me want to pursue it even further. I've always been very quick. Maybe not to the standards I'm at now, but I was always springy and thin – just elastic, let's say.

What is Steve Garnham like as a coach?

We're best friends. He knows me very well, and I know him very well. He can see things that I might not say to him straight away. He's just a great man. I wouldn't be anywhere near what I've achieved without him.

The story is that he was going to retire but then I went down to Colchester Harriers about three years ago and, apparently, I was a talent he couldn't miss out on so he stayed. Sorry, Steve, I had to keep you out of retirement!

Who do you look up to? 

I must admit, I used to hate Noah Lyles. He used to seem so arrogant to me, but I can see more deeply into why he does that. He's a big inspiration to me now.

Obviously, you've got Bolt, Powell, Gatlin and Gay. You've got all the big superheroes of athletics. They're a big inspiration to me, not just for their technique but for what they do off the track as well.

Age: 16

Club: Colchester Harriers

Coach: Steve Garnham

Events: 100m/200m

PBs: 10.42/20.70