It’s fair to say gymnast Nile Wilson is still pinching himself when it comes to his achievements this year, but the two-time Commonwealth champion is itching to achieve even more.

The 18-year-old started 2014 on the junior circuit, taking home the Junior British all-around title in March before becoming the first British gymnast ever to win five gold medals at the European Junior Gymnastics Championships in Sofia two months later.

But Wilson was not content to leave things there, with his call up to the senior squad for the first time for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow seeing his stock rise to another level.

The Leeds-born gymnast appeared right at home on the big stage from the off, helping England to team gold before adding horizontal bar gold, parallel bars silver and all-around bronze to his quickly-growing collection.

There were further notable performances at the following World Championships in Nanning, helping Great Britain to a highest-ever finish of fourth in the team final before finishing in the same position in the high bar final.

A wrist injury picked up during those Championships would mean his season ending with surgery, although there could yet be further good news with Wilson having been shortlisted for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year 2014 award.

And Wilson admits his senior debut in Glasgow in particular would live long in the memory from the last 12 months.

“This year has been a quite extraordinary year for me, firstly becoming British Junior Champion and then winning five gold medals including the all-round at the junior European championships before stepping up to the seniors as a member of Team England in Glasgow," he said.

“Winning two golds, a silver and a bronze in Glasgow was unreal, it was my first senior international competition and I'm a multiple Commonwealth Games champion. 

“To even be competing for Team England in my first senior event was an honour but to win medals and be part of the most successful Team England is something that will stay in my memory forever.

“Being part of Team England was amazing, it was my first multi-sport experience and I can't wait to do it all again.

“I remember arriving in the village with the rest of the gymnastics squad and we were pretty much the last athletes in and in our area in the village it was full of England flags and teammates all chatting to each other and being so friendly.”

Wilson will return to the scene of his Commonwealth Games triumph at the SSE Hydro arena for this Sunday’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year event, where he will be up against the likes of Team England gymnastics teammate Claudia Fragapane.

But whatever the outcome, Wilson insists he sill has plenty to smile about when he makes the return trip to Glasgow.

“The Hydro where the gymnastics took place was a brilliant venue and the crowd were amazing, they were so supportive to every athlete and there were always loads of England supporters cheering us on," he added,

“To cap off 2014 I've been shortlisted for BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year. Just being on that final list of 10, including five of my Team England teammates, is great.

“It's going to be a wonderful night to celebrate such a wonderful year especially for every member of Team England.”

© Sportsbeat 2014