The 27-year-old has long been a near-certainty to be on the plane to Beijing, China as part of the British team for the Games, which start in three weeks.

But after injury and technique problems, he was desperate to prove himself in the 110m hurdles at the national championships, which doubled up as the Olympic trials, at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium.

After cruising to victory in his heats in a time of 13.63 seconds, he went on to take the final in 13.58 – nine one-hundredths of a second ahead of Scotland's Allan Scott.

Turner was delighted to take gold and the success was enhanced on Monday by a call to say he was confirmed among the first set of British athletes to be selected for Beijing.

However the father-of-two was far from satisfied with his overall display, which saw him clatter nine of the ten hurdles in the final.

"I am just glad it's over," he told the Dispatch. "It is now behind me and I have retained my title.

"But it's as if something is not quite right. I know I can run fast and I think I am in personal-best shape right now.

"Hopefully it will fall into place by the Olympics but it would be nice to lay down a fast time in the next couple of weeks to give me a real confidence-boost.

"I was so nervous at Birmingham. I needed to win that race for pride alone. I did the job and now it's about boosting my confidence."