Tre Houston, the Bermuda sprinter, has remained philosophical after a wind gauge malfunction when competing in Florida at the weekend prevented him from becoming Bermuda’s fastest man.

Houston believed he had posted a time of 10.22sec in the 100 metres at the NTC Last Chance Meet in Clermont to beat Devon Bean’s longstanding record of 10.27, which his former coach set while preparing for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

The 24-year-old’s initial elation turned to despair when he was later informed by race officials that the time would not be ratified because the wind-measuring instrument had not worked properly.

“It was an emotional weekend for me but at the same time I can take a lot of confidence from my performance,” said Houston, who was competing against top names such as Richard Thompson, of Trinidad and Tobago, and Dwain Chambers, of Britain.

“The wind gauge didn’t pick up any reading during my race [the second heat] but the wind had died right down, so I thought my race was legal. Before I knew it people were calling me to congratulate me and posting things on my Facebook.

“Of course, I was disappointed when I was told the race would not be ratified but it just gives me confidence to know that I’m capable of running a low 10.2. I know that there’s more in the tank.”

Houston, who finished eighth in the final, relocated to his namesake city in the United States in October to step up his preparations for next month’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

He spent last season in Bermuda after returning home from London where he had trained for the previous two years at a renowned sprint stable.

It proved to be a frustrating summer for Houston although he claimed a sprint double at the NatWest Island Games in Bermuda, setting competition records in the 100 and 200 and a personal best in the 100 in a time of 10.34.

Houston said that he believed it was only a matter of time before he broke his former mentor’s record and was feeling confident ahead of the Commonwealth Games.

“It’s just about staying healthy and continuing to train hard,” he said. “I can’t be a punk because [the Commonwealth Games] are a major event and I need to be at my best.

“I’ve just got to remain humble and keep doing what I’m doing. People can get too confident and start thinking they have made it and I really haven’t.

“I know I will crack [the national record] but I want to do it at a big meet when it matters.

“[Devon] text me at the weekend and it feels good to know that he would like me to break his record. He was my coach last season in Bermuda and I have to give thanks to him.”