Harry Aikines-Aryeetey may have gone on to conquer Europe as a sprinter, but he has never forgotten his roots, or the man who set him on the road to glory.

The 26-year-old Carshalton-born athlete broke new ground last season by winning his first individual senior medal at the European Championships, coming third in the 100m.

He added it to the 4x100m relay gold won at the same meeting, and a bronze won at the World Relays in Nassau.

Unfortunately he missed out on a place at the World Championships later this year because of an injury-hit season.

However, it is still a long way from the day a 12-year-old Aikines-Aryeetey first stepped on to a track as a member of Sutton & District Athletic Club.

He said: “I was playing British bulldog somewhere and luckily someone was passing and they saw I was quite quick, and they told me to go to Sutton Arena.

“I met a coach there called Lesley Alder, he was a hurdles coach at the time, and he had a few people from my school who trained with him.

"I was about 12 or 13 at the time, and I didn’t think too much of it.

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“I was not amazing, but given my birthday is in August, I was quite young and I was competing against people three years older than me, and I was putting down some quick times for my age.

“I first tried the hurdles, which did not work out, so I am a failed hurdler.”

He added: “When I reached county level in 2004, Les passed away. I won my first national title when he was on his deathbed, and from then on, every time I drive home past the house where he used to live I say ‘Thanks, Les’.

“I always try to get back to Sutton when I can, I am based in Loughborough, but in truth I am only happy when I am in Sutton.”

With the benefit of the coaching at club level, a 17-year-old Aikines-Aryeetey went on to win gold at the 2006 World Junior Championships, clocking 10.37 seconds.

His personal best over 100m hit 10.08secs in 2013 at the Sainsbury’s British Championships when he won silver behind Dwain Chambers.

Now, under the tutelage of US coach Rana Reider, he is ranked as the 13th fastest man in Britain, but he knows the importance Sutton & District AC played in his early days.

He said: “The clubs give you so much encouragement and confidence to take things forward because of the belief they have in you.

“I remember when I came back from the World Youth Championships with the gold medal, the club put on a little party for me – they were really proud.

“There was an old statistician who told me ‘You’re the first world champion we’ve ever had. We’ve had European and Commonwealth, but never world’.

“It’s the little things like that and you think ‘Wow’ and realise you mean a lot to the club.”

He added: “They make sure I have my membership every year and I get to train at Sutton Arena for free.

“When I stand on the start line at the Euros or Worlds, I am representing Sutton & District.”