Sprinter Dylan Bhatti’s life has been on fast-forward for the past couple of years since joining Gloucester Athletic Club.

The 18-year-old has made a semi-final at the British Championships, won an England vest and won a medal at a national championships.

And his coach Justin Smith believes that there is much more to come.

“He’s a really, really good sprinter,” Smith told The Local Answer. “He’s had great success already, he’s flying.

“He has the size for it – 6ft 2-6ft 3 – and he’s put himself in a really good position.”

And by good position, Smith means that Bhatti, a one-time Severn Vale School pupil and Hartpury College student, is hoping to be offered a scholarship to go to university in the US next year.

He’s currently taking a gap year but it’s easy to see why he has caught the eye of many because his times are very impressive.

He has run 6.89 seconds for the 60 metres, has a best of 10.58 for the 100 and 21.46 for the 200.

His main focus is the 100 and 200, with the 200 probably his best distance going forward, although at this stage he is excelling in all three.

“It’s been amazing,” said Smith. “The past two years have changed his life, he’d never run on a track before he came to Gloucester.

“I spotted him at a school competition, I watched him run and he blew the field away. Before that he was a footballer.

“Last year he won a bronze in the English Schools Championships, picked up an England vest at the Home Nations and won a gold with the 100 relay team, who broke the U20 record. 

“This year he reached the semi-finals of the British Championships where he was up against the likes of Jeremiah Azu.

*He was also less than 0.10 second off the GB under-20 European qualify.*

Things are clearly going very well for the up-and-coming runner but it hasn’t all been plain sailing.

However, when the setbacks have come along he’s been able to deal with them.

“He’s had some injuries and he hasn’t always got the results he wants,” said Smith. “But he understands setbacks, he’s got the resilience, desire and confidence to recover from them.”

And he’s also a top bloke.

“He comes from a very good home,” continued Smith. “He’s warm, welcoming, honest and very humble, very down to earth.

“He’s learning all the time but I think he’s in a really happy place. He knows what he wants and he knows what he’s doing.

“I could not be prouder to coach someone like Dylan and I’m excited to see where he ends up in the next 12 months.”