A 15-year-old sprinter from Watford has set the fastest 60m indoor time for Under-17s this year and his father believes it is down to his bobsleigh training.

Dominic Ashwell, a pupil at Dacorum & Tring Athletics Club, also set a new personal best and smashed the club’s record time of 7.11 in the process.

Ashwell’s time of 6.87 was also the fastest 60m indoor time for his age group since 2010, when future European Junior Championships gold-medal winner David Bolarinwa ran 6.87.

The Bushey Meads School pupil has also been selected for the Team Great Britain bobsleigh squad for the 2016 Youth Olympic Games in Lillehammer and father Mark believes the two sports, whilst not perceived as natural bedfellows by some, have dovetailed to aid his son’s progress.

He explained: “He is training quite hard to improve and the bobsleigh training has really helped his sprint training too. I think he is at an age now where he wants to train right, rather than seeing it as a chore he has to go and do.

“The start in bobsleigh is very explosive and we both think practicing that has helped his sprinting. Bobsleigh training in the UK is very difficult so it is mainly track and gym work which he can do but again, that ties in quite well with his sprint training,” he added.

Ashwell also broke a 31-year-old county record in the 100m at the schools County Championship last June – going on to pick up a fourth-place finish whilst representing Hertfordshire at the English Schools Championship.

The teenager is currently in the process of securing his place at the 2016 Youth Olympic Games after finishing ninth in his first qualifying race, having enjoyed the fastest start of all the competitors.

“It was the first time he had set foot in a bobsleigh,” explained dad Mark. “He trained all summer at Bath University where they have a bobsleigh push start track. It is only about 150m long but you get to learn how to start.”

Ashwell has three further qualifying competitions later this year – two in Europe and one in America – which will determine whether or not he will make the cut for 2016.