Tre Houston is confident of finishing his season on a high as he builds towards achieving “something special” at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Australia, next year.

The sprinter delivered his best performance of the season at the Invitational Permit Meet at the National Stadium on Saturday night, finishing third in the 100 metres in a time of 10.68sec.

Like many athletes, Houston has struggled to rediscover his mojo after an Olympic Games year — having worked tirelessly to reach Rio de Janeiro — and even explored a route into the NFL with tryouts at the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs as a wide receiver and punt-return specialist.

He aims to run three more times this season before turning his attentions to preparing for the Commonwealth Games in April, where he hopes to reach a major final for the first time in his career.

“It’s been a tough season for me,” said Houston, who has already qualified in the 200. “I put so much into the Olympics last year.

“I was injured two weeks prior to Rio and the work I had to put in to get back where I was wasn’t easy.

“This season hasn’t been great but big things are coming next year. I’m going to do something special.

“It’s all about hard work and I’ve just got to put my funding in the right places to benefit me. Hopefully I can make a major final in Australia.”

Houston had not previously harboured any hankerings for the NFL until a cousin asked him whether he would be interested in trying his hand at American football.

Training twice a day for his pair of unsuccessful trials took its toll on his body and partly explains why Houston has been unable to hit his stride this season.

“I took on the NFL thing and was training twice a day and burnt out my body,” said Houston, who competed at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014 and Delhi in 2010.

“It may have helped me in the long run, but it definitely hindered me at the beginning of the season when I could have been running faster.”

The 27-year-old said he felt like his old self in front of his home crowd at the Permit Meet and credited DeVon Bean, the Bermuda National Athletics Association head coach, for sorting out a few technique issues.

“I’m definitely pleased with that performance,” said Houston, who finished behind race winner Oshane Bailey, of Jamaica, and his compatriot Ryan Shields.

“I can’t be upset with that run at all and I’m over the moon. I really put it together.

“I’ve been working with my coach [DeVon Bean] for the past three weeks and I trust him totally. He’s been helping with my starts and all praise to him. Technically it felt really good.”

It may not have been a packed house at the National Stadium, but competing in front of a home crowd seems to bring out the best in Houston.

He finished runner-up in the 200 at the inaugural Permit Meet last year and completed a sprint double at the NatWest Island Games in Bermuda in 2013, winning gold medals in the 100 and 200.

“I always put on a show for the home crowd,” said Houston, who is based in his namesake city in the United States.

“Regardless of whether my season is up or down, I’ll always show up. It’s definitely a blessing to have this meet in Bermuda so people can actually see what you do for a living.”

Houston was among five other Bermudian athletes who competed at the Permit Meet, featuring more than 60 overseas competitors. Tyrone Smith finished second in the long jump with a leap of 8.06, while Jessica Lewis won the T53 800 in 2:32.48. Both athletes are warming up for the IAAF World Championships in at the Olympic Stadium in London next month

Sakari Famous placed third in the high jump in 1.70. Meanwhile, Lamont Marshall came second in the 3,000 steeplechase 8:58.99 and Kyle Webb finished sixth in both the 100 (10.86) and 200 (21.58).