TROWBRIDGE sprinter Danny Talbot could yet end the year with more success after being nominated for a prestigious award – revealing friends in high places are helping to support his cause.

The 20-year-old has collected the British indoor and England under-23 200m titles in a breakthrough year, culminating in selection as part of the 4x100m relay for the World Championships in Daegu.

Talbot didn’t run in South Korea but his efforts haven’t gone unnoticed as, courtesy of being on the Spar Sprints Programme, he has been nominated for the Outstanding Athlete of the Year Award.

He is one of three chosen, the winner to be announced at the annual UKA Awards Dinner later this year, with Talbot’s case being strongly put forward by friend and Swansea City midfielder Nathan Dyer.

“I have been quite lucky as Nathan is a good friend who has about 15,000 followers on Twitter and he has kindly put a shout out for me on there,” said Talbot.

“He is from the same town as my parents, Trowbridge, and both of our mums have been friends for about ten years.

“I don’t get to see him much anymore because he is over in Swansea but it is great to watch him on Match of the Day.

“So it is going well and I have also got a friend who I used to play football with, Nick Blackwell, he is an English boxing champion and is from the same area as well.

“I’m guessing I’ve been put forward because my season has gone really well. I couldn’t have asked for much more and I am delighted to be nominated – it is such an honour.”

Talbot will be pitted against fellow sprinter David Bolarinwa and hurdler Andrew Pozzi for the prize – but admits awards are just a bi-product of doing the sport he loves.

“It is good to get rewarded but I don’t do athletics for fortune or money, I do it, like most people, because I really love the sport,” he added.

“I am really looking forward to the awards dinner and guys like Phillips Idowu are actual legends and it is great to be up for a prize alongside them.”

Brought to you by SPAR, Official Sponsors of UK Athletics, for more information visit www.spar.co.uk/vote