Max Whitlock, the golden boy of Team GB’s sensational Rio success, is heading for Medway.

The double Olympic champion has been confirmed as the star guest at the Medway Sports Awards later in the year.

It is a coup for the Medway Council sports development team who had been in contact with the gymnast’s agent prior to the Games and, despite his new-found international fame, managed to secure his agreement to come.

Whitlock, who was the first British man to win an Olympic gymnastic gold when he triumphed in the floor exercise, will lead a star-studded guest list at the biennial celebration of local sporting achievement, which is supported by the Medway Messenger.

In 2014 his fellow Olympic gold medallist Greg Rutherford went down a storm as the VIP visitor, while world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua brought his gold medal after the London Games in 2012.

The last winner of the main award was paralympic skier Charlotte Evans. A runner up was Maddie Hinch, the GB hockey goalkeeper who plays for Holcombe in Rochester and competes in the gold medal match against the Netherlands tonight.

Nominations are open for the awards, which honour the best clubs, individuals, coaches and volunteers, from children to adult sport.

Shortlisted nominees will get the chance to meet Max at the gala dinner presentation on December 16 at MidKent College, Gillingham.

Cllr Howard Doe, deputy leader and community services chief, said: “It will be a great honour for us to welcome Max to Medway and I’m sure his achievements in Rio will inspire Medway’s sporting community to reach for even higher goals as we now look ahead to the next Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo.”