Turner ready for medal

Turner started the year with a lot to prove after losing his National Lottery funding after Beijing 2008 and falling down the British pecking-order to young pretender Will Sharman, who had finished fourth in the 2009 World Championships.

But the 30-year-old issued the perfect possible riposte by claiming the European and Commonwealth 110m hurdles titles and ending this season with two gold medals to Sharman’s solitary silver.

Next season’s athletics calendar throws up a London 2012 Olympic dress rehearsal in the shape of a trip to South Korea for the World Championships.

And after a record-breaking 2010 in his memory bank, Turner believes he is ready to mix it with the hurdling big boys in the Far East next year — and then 12 months later in the capital.

“To be up there challenging in London, you definitely need to be in the hunt at the World Championships next year,” said Turner.

“It’s all about stepping stones, I have had a good year, winning gold medals at the Europeans and the Commonwealths. But the world scale is obviously much higher.

“So I’m definitely looking to get to the final at least. If I do, then it should breed nothing but confidence leading up to the Olympics.

“Finals can either make you or break you. If you make one mistake in the hurdles and tighten up, then it costs you the race.

“But this year has shown me that I can go into a final and technically produce two of the best races of my season, or my life even, and that is a massive confidence boost.

“Now I have to go to the worlds and reproduce that. Then if I can take my times down a tenth or two, that is going to put me in the mix for London 2012.”

Turner took a month away from the sport after his heroics at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi last month before returning to the track this week as he plots his path to more glory in 2011.

But while returning to the gym, Turner admits he is in no rush to get back into competitive action and is likely to swerve an indoor campaign to save himself for his South Korean adventure.

“I am back in training and hurting all over!” added Turner. “It’s nice to have a month off but it’s also nice to get back into it and get back to feeling fit and healthy again.

“I miss being in the routine and so I am really looking forward to getting a good winter of training in. I will possibly do the indoors, I am not sure yet. But I’m definitely working towards the World Championships next summer.”