Last month legendary sprinter Michael Johnson told Sport.co.uk about how he found the necessary drive and focus to overcome the disappointment of training hard for the Olympic Games in both Seoul and Barcelona, only to have injury and illness wreck any chance of performing at his peak.
Training hard, staying mentally strong in the face of adversity, maintaining long-term aims, remaining patient, praying for that slice of luck; so many factors come into play for high level athletes that rarely does their everyday existence evoke envy. It’s a way of life full of peaks and troughs and certainly not one for the faint hearted.
Just ask British hurdler Andy Turner. In 2008 after a disappointing quarter-final exit in the 110 metre event in Beijing, UK Athletics deemed that he was unlikely to be a medal hope at London 2012 and instructed that his £12,000 grant from the National Lottery be withdrawn. It was a desperate blow and one which coupled with persistent hamstring problems during 2009 looked like it might end the career of an athlete who had been part of the Team GB set-up since 1993.
Twelve months on and it’s hard to fathom the turnaround and success that Turner has secured. Defying his critics, overcoming fitness problems and winning legions of admirers on the way, the Nottingham-born 30-year-old has just finished the 2010 season with gold medals in both Barcelona, at the European Championship, and in Delhi, at the Commonwealth Games. It’s some story and one which still has chapters to be written. Working hard on closing the gap on his Olympic rivals, Britain’s number one hurdler is now fully focused on achieving success on the world stage with London 2012 now very much on the horizon.
Sport.co.uk caught up with Turner to talk about his recent accomplishments, dealing with an increased profile at home, the improvements he still needs to make, confidence in the Great Britain camp and why he’s hoping to inspire the next generation through a new television show.
Hi Andy, thanks for talking to Sport.co.uk. Can you just explain a little about the ‘Your Sport’ television series you are supporting?
It’s about getting kids into sport, getting them active and using sportspeople who have won medals and had success to inspire them. It’s all about getting them outside and taking part in activities.
Were there any individuals who you were particularly inspired by as a youngster?
I suppose Linford Christie was my first athletics memory, I remember watching him win the Olympics gold [in 1992], obviously Colin Jackson as well. Mainly it was my dad though because he pushed me into athletics. It was one of those things where because he pushed me into I didn’t like it at first, but I grew to love it because it’s such an exciting sport.
We understand you were a bit of a footballer when you were young and signed on at Notts County; any favourite players stand out from your childhood?
I actually supported Nottingham Forest [despite training with County] and it was around the time when Stuart Pearce was there and Nigel Clough. Those were the guys when I went out for a kickabout with my mates that I’d pretend to be. I’d even do a commentary when we were playing.
Any position you fancied yourself in at the time?
I was a striker...I miss it actually.
Well you’ve done pretty well in athletics! A gold medal at the European Championship in Barcelona and gold again at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. It has been an amazing year, you must be proud of your achievements?
It has been an amazing year and an exciting one as well. I sat down with my coach at the start of the season and we discussed targets. I always said that Barcelona was going to be the main target, while Delhi was something I’d tackle if I was still in one piece and running well. When I won in Barcelona I just thought it would be amazing to do a double so I really knuckled down and worked hard.
It’s been an amazing year, a complete whirlwind really. You always believe you’re capable of doing it, but actually going to the start line, producing your best runs and winning gold medals is not as easy as it looks. I’m really excited for next year now.
Your win in Barcelona was reported in the British press as being a surprise – was that the case for you, or did you feel confident ahead of the European Championships?
I knew I could win a gold medal going to Barcelona. In the past I’ve been to championships and for various reasons maybe not done as well as I should have done. It’s not just a case of being physically fit; you also have to be mentally on your game as well. I think people doubted me in the past. I always knew that I could do it, I just needed a good bill of health throughout the whole year. Luckily this season I’ve had that and I had the belief, it was just a case of getting to the start line and then doing it. It all just came together.
You’ve had some serious hamstring problems which have hampered your progress in the past. Have you changed your training methods to cope or is it luck that you’ve been fit all year?
It’s been a bit of both really. We’ve had to work on strengthening the weak areas. A lot of work has gone into making my hamstrings stronger to minimise the chances of another tear. Also it’s been a case of training wisely. Back in the day if I felt something hurting, I’d continue training and try and soldier through it. Now I’m a bit smarter and I’ve learned to listen to my body. Being cleverer in training has really paid off.
At your lowest ebb, when the injuries were seriously affecting your training, how important was it to maintain focus on long-term goals?
I think the toughest time for me was last year when I tore my hamstring the week before racing in Berlin. I got to the point when I asked myself, ‘is it all worth it?’ You get so many negatives in athletics when things don’t go your way that you question whether you’ll ever get your time to shine. You just have to think about how much work you’ve put in, and how much people have worked behind the scenes to help you get to where you are and that gives you the motivation to keep going. Thankfully I did that.
My coach kept telling me I had the potential to run well and I didn’t want to let him down. The same went for my dad; he was my biggest fan, back in the day he’d helped me financially and he’d also driven me everywhere. Without the help of my parents there is no way I could do what I have done. I had to put everything in perspective, look at those people who have helped me and just try and give them something back. Fortunately this year that happened.
How much of a step up do you need to take to start achieving medals at Olympic and World Championship level?
Obviously there is a gap between what I’ve done and winning at a world level. There are quite a few things that need to be worked on. We’ve been analysing my technique and pinpointed areas for improvement, particularly the amount of time I spend in the air clearing a hurdle, which at the moment is a lot longer than somebody like Dayron Robles. Flat speed-wise I’m pretty good, it’s just the air time. The bio-mechanist certainly believes I can take two or three tenths of a second off, so long as I sharpen the technique. If I do that it would put me in with a shout of medalling at any championship.
Michael Johnson and Usain Bolt famously wore gold spikes for their races. Now that you’re a ‘golden boy’ can you ever see yourself going down that road and making a flash footwear status?
(Laughs) No, not at all. I think it’s fair to say they are far more ‘out there’ compared to me. I’d feel a bit of a plonker if I went out there and tried to play the big man. I’m a long way off what they’ve achieved. I’ll keep my feet firmly on the ground until I run a lot faster!
We understand that you partied pretty hard in 2009 after the European Indoor Championships in Turin; did you do the same again after the wins in Barcelona and Delhi?
Well you’ve got to let your hair down! I’m a 30-year-old guy and I’ve got friends who go out every weekend. Obviously I have to make sacrifices during the season but every now and again it’s good to go out. I did a bit of celebrating; not so much after Barcelona, but after Delhi I had a month off where I could eat and drink whatever I wanted. I definitely took advantage of that.
Have you enjoyed the extra attention that has come your way in the last six months?
It’s cool actually. Just the little things like being recognised by people when you go to Sainsburys and being invited to parties is great. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the attention but at the same time all I want to do is get out there and race, rather than try and be this celebrity-type person. Athletics is always going to be my main focus.
London 2012 is on the horizon – do you think the pressure and media interest which comes with competing on home soil is going to be an added obstacle or something which will inspire?
I think people can get take pressure the wrong way. A lot of the younger athletes who maybe haven’t been to as many championships can feel more demand to do well. I’ve been around for quite a long time now and I think I’ve learned to harvest that pressure and use it as a positive. People are going to expect the British team to raise their game and give the country something to celebrate and I like that, I like that people want us to do well and feel I can use that pressure in my favour to find another gear.
There was talk of a need for Team GB to improve on the track after Beijing in 2008; do you think progress has been made in the last two years?
I really do. I think the fact we were the most successful European team ever in Barcelona shows the way things are going. If you look at the team we sent it wasn’t even a full strength team, if everybody is fit and healthy then I don’t see why we can’t be really successful come London. I think we’ll surprise people and I think they’ll be a lot of people that you wouldn’t necessarily expect, guys who come in under the radar, that will give the public something to cheer for.
Is there a sense within the team that you can feed off the success of the likes of Jessica Ennis, Christine Ohuruogu and Mo Farah?
That’s exactly what happened in Barcelona on the first night when Mo Farah and Chris Thompson won gold and silver [in the 10,000 metres]. It showed the team spirit when Mo turned round with a lap or two to go and shouted at Chris to ‘come on.’ It showed the team spirit and inspired everybody. We all got behind each other and it has created a really good vibe in the team.
Are there any young sprinters and hurdlers who we should be keeping an eye out for?
I think Lawrence Clarke who won a Commonwealth bronze medal [110 metre hurdles] will take a big boost from that result. He’s got a lot to work on, but within a couple of years he could be running pretty quick times. I’m not too in the loop with the other young guys, although I know Malcolm Arnold in Bath has some good prospects.
Obviously you’re focused on the World Championships next year and London 2012 beyond that, but have you given thought to what you’ll do when you retire?
I’m always thinking about things and trying to figure out which route I want to follow. There are so many different things I’d like to do. I’ve actually always wanted to be a fireman for a start, but then I think I’d like to stay within athletics and get involved with coaching. I feel like I’ve picked up a lot of knowledge over the years and trained with many of the world’s best hurdlers so I’ve got a lot to give back to athletics. I’ll keep my options open and see what happens.
Thanks for talking to us Andy and best of luck with your preparations over the next two years.