Andy set for Cyprus fitness test

Sprint hurdler Andy Turner (Notts AC) is finally ready for his Olympics dream to come true after a six-week injury scare.

He flew out to the Olympic Preparation Camp in Cyprus on Monday 9 August ready to take a fitness test under the watchful eye of Graham Knight, UK Athletics Technical Director for Sprints and Hurdles.

And he says he is “more than confident of passing” after coming through two tough training sessions sets by his coach, Lloyd Cowan, at Crystal Palace.

Turner, who has kept reasonably fit training in the Palace swimming pool while being treated for tendonitis, completed a sprint session in his spikes on Friday 6 August. And he followed that on Sunday with a full hurdles session, also in spikes.

“”I felt a bit rusty but can’t complain,” he said, barely able to contain his delight at finally believing he is going to be able to compete in his first Olympic Games after a month and a half of worry and doubt.

“I have a minor quad strain now. It’s sore but I can ice it and get physio on it. It’s not gonna stop me training! I can finally get ready to compete.”

Turner, whose intense treatment has been provided through UK Athletics World Class Potential Programme, funded from the Lottery by Sport England, aims to have an easy day at the training camp in Paphos on Tuesday and then set about proving his fitness for the Olympics.

"I Iwas a bit rusty over the hurdles at the Palace but I am not worried,” said Turner, who has been the UK No.1 since he won a race at Szombathely in Hungary in 13.47 seconds on 30 May. “I have 16 days to get in some serious training. Four or five good sessions, and I will be back to where I should be.”

Turner, who was Europe’s No.1 for the first six weeks of the season, says he “just doesn’t know” what to expect of himself in the Games, which will be the first major senior championships of his career, which took off after he won three English School’s titles while studying at Nottingham High School.

Having moved home to London to join Cowans’ high quality squad, he made his Norwich Union GB Team debut in last season’s Spar European Cup and, after a successful training spell in California earlier this year, made huge advances in the early part of this summer.

Now he says of his Athens prospects: “If I have my ideal race … I have no idea, But I am not going there for one race.”