03 July 2009

EUROPEAN sprint hurdles bronze medallist Andy Turner believes he’s in the form of his life as he looks to set a new personal best at the Aviva World Trials & UK Championships in Birmingham on 10, 11 and 12 July.

The 28-year-old has enjoyed his best ever start to the outdoor season, with three victories in nine days including a win in Hengelo where he clocked a season’s best of 13.30 seconds. The time was just three hundredths of a seconds shy of his personal best which he set at the World Championships in Osaka two years ago.

Ten days ago Turner secured another win, this time at the European Team Championships in Portugal, where he beat former World  champion Ladji Doucoure as well as Poland’s Olympic finalist, Artur Noga to secure maximum points for the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team. It was Turner’s first win at the event in six attempts.

Now Turner has set his sights on the Aviva World Trials & UK Championships at the Birmingham Alexander Stadium, where he hopes to win his fourth successive title. And the Sale Harrier believes the UKA event will provide the perfect opportunity to make his mark as he looks towards the World Championships in Berlin next month.

Europe’s fastest man this summer, Turner is out to prove he’s got what it takes to compete on the world stage and add to the Commonwealth and European bronze medals he won in 2006.

Turner said: “Without a doubt it’s my best ever start to the outdoor season – normally my personal best would come later on the season, so I’m just hoping to build on everything I’ve achieved so far. I know it’s there, it’s just a case of having ten good hurdles. In all those races so far I can remember a hurdle that’s not gone quite right, so if everything goes as it should, I have no doubt I can smash my personal best.

“So far I have been pretty much injury free, I had a niggle with my back a couple of weeks ago but other than that I’ve had a clean bill of health and I think that’s the reason I’m running well.

“The event in Birmingham is very important to me, obviously to secure my place in the GB team, but it would be nice to win the Trials and have another national title under my belt too. I’m not taking it lightly, I’m going into the race to give it my best and hopefully that’ll be enough to win with a good time.”

Turner missed out on a place in the final at the Beijing Olympics last year, and reached the semi-finals at the World Championships in Osaka two years ago. But he believes he’s capable of performing on the big stage when it really matters, and has set his sights on a place in the final at the World Championships in Berlin.

He said: “I want to make the final, that’s the first target. It’s not going to be easy but I know I’m in the sort of shape where I can do that. Then I just have to give it my best and hopefully that’s good enough for a top three finish. I’m not happy with just getting to the final, I want to do something while I’m there. Anything can happen in hurdles – people can fall over, have a bad race, or run the race of their life – and I’m hoping that’s what happens to me.

“I’ve only had one race this year where time-wise it wouldn’t have got me in to the final in Beijing. It’s exciting because I haven’t had ten good hurdles yet, so when I do that who knows what sort of time I will run. I know I am in shape for a personal best.”

The Aviva World Trials & UK Championships is part organised by Birmingham City Council and supported by Marketing Birmingham.  

The Championships take place at Birmingham Alexander Stadium on 10, 11 and 12 July. Tickets can be purchased online at www.uka.org.uk and by phone on 0800 055 60 56.