Gregor, a member of the Montrose and District Athletics Club and a pupil of Montrose Academy, received his nomination for the Scottish Athletics' award after powering his way to the top of the U17 performance charts with a highest vault of 4.45m, or 14 foot six inches.

Winning the award would round off 2008 in perfect style for Gregor, who moves up to the U20 age category next season. Over the course of 2008, he has triumphed in almost every competition he entered, winning a clutch of medals and claiming a new Scottish record on the way.

The awards ceremony will take place this Saturday at the Marriott Hotel in Glasgow, with awards presented by radio DJ Bryan Burnett and guest of honour, Paula Radcliffe, herself a five-time Olympic finalist with numerous records to her name.

Gregor said it would be great to meet one of the world's top athletes, but added said his main hope was to win the coveted U17 Athlete of the Year Award.

He said: "I didn't know anything about it. It just came in the post.
"I'm not sure who I'm up against – it's not any of the people I thought it would be. I hope I do win it."

While Gregor is keeping his fingers crossed for Saturday, he is also turning his attention to the new season. While he admits to being incredibly competitive, he is setting himself modest goals for 2009 – particularly as he currently has no top-level coach for the new campaign.

The man who previously filled that position, Eamon Fitzgerald, has had to retire from coaching due to illness. However, no replacement has yet been lined up and Gregor is unsure about where his future lies.

With offers from clubs south of the border sitting on the table - Birmingham's Birchfield Harriers and Harrow AC near London – he is considering whether to move to England to continue his training.

But a patriotic Scot, he's determined to live, work and train in Scotland for as long as possible and he's intending on spending 2009 in his homeland if possible.

Gregor is pictured in action during the England Athletics U17s and U15s Championships, held in Birmingham last year.