A 19-year-old playwright from Woodford Green will see her first work, an examination of truth and lies based around the London Olympics, rehearsed at the National Theatre.

Caroline Wilson, of Crispin Terrace, had only dabbled with writing before, but her play Keeping Track + The Truth, will now be read by professional actors after it was shortlisted in the theatre’s national New Views competition.

It tells of a HIV positive sprinter in the build-up to the 2012 Games who begins doping and whose best friend, a journalist, must decide whether to reveal the truth.

Caroline, a student at St Francis Xavier Sixth Form College in Balham, attended workshops run by the theatre from November to February to develop her play.

She said: “It was kind of a surprise because there were so many good writers there.

“I’m not the best writer but I put the hard work in and I listened to the advice.”

She took part in the weekly writing group with other pupils from across London.

They followed an online course which included contributions from celebrated playwrights such as David Hare and Richard Bean.

Caroline will get to see the read-through at the theatre in July.

Her writing was partly inspired by the doping scandal surrounding cyclist Lance Armstrong. She said: “[It’s] the lie and truth. It’s something so simple but people don’t want to admit they’re wrong.”

The programme is supported by the Houses of Parliament and the winning play, selected from the 10 shortlisted, will be performed there this summer.

Caroline’s MP, Lee Scott, the MP for Ilford North, said: “I congratulate Caroline for making it to the shortlist and receiving this recognition for her talent and hard-work.”

More than 300 students from 47 schools across the UK entered the competition.