Combined strength, talent and intelligence have earned Tremayne Gilling a nomination in the sporting achievement category of the Merton Civic Awards.

Mr Gilling, 23, from Mitcham, is considered to be one of the most promising young sprinters in British athletics.

A product design student at Middlesex College, Mr Gilling has tasted success on and off the sports field.

The sprinter has personal bests of 6.68 seconds in the 60m, just 0.29s off the world record, 10.25s in the 100m and 21.45s in the 200m.

His mother and trainer, Lorna Boothe, said: “His passion for athletics comes straight from the heart.

“He has  always been good at sport and could have picked a number but one day, three or four years ago, he came and asked me to train him as an athlete.

“He originally trained in martial arts and rugby but, after his decision, he dropped everything and started spending most of his time on the track.”

The talent that earned the nomination runs in the family – his mother was a Commonwealth Games gold medallist in the 100m hurdles and is the former British record holder.

Ms Boothe said: “He lives between the school and the training field. His large experience in sport and correct training puts him in a very good position that allows him to combine it with his passion for design.”

One development the runner has created is the concept of a wristband that analyses the posture of the wearer, based on the input of sensors placed in a vest.