The 27-year-old will make local history on Monday when he lines up in the heats for the 110m hurdles in the 'bird's nest' stadium in Beijing, China.

And in an exclusive interview with the Dispatch just before he left the Team GB camp on the island of Macau, the father-of-two declared: "I believe I can make the final.

"I believe in my ability and I believe I've got what it takes, even after all my problems with injury this year."

Those problems have included a torn disc in his back, sustained during warm-weather training in South Africa in January, and separate tears in the hamstring muscle of each leg in recent weeks.

The injuries brought back painful memories of four years ago when Turner became the first sportsman from Hucknall to appear in the summer Games.

For in Athens, Greece, pre-event problems with an Achilles tendon and quadricep-muscle led to a painful exit in the First Round.

But Turner, who has been Britain's top sprint hurdler for three years, says that experience will now be a key weapon in the bid to realise his dream of making the final in Beijing and competing for a medal.

"Experience is in my favour," he said. "I've been to an Olympics and I know how amazing it is. It is easy to lose focus but I know how to handle it now."

Turner won bronze medals at the European Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games of 2006.

And he has been handed a timely boost before the start of the athletics programme in China with news he is ranked as high as ninth of the 110m hurdlers scheduled to compete.

Among his opponents will be reigning champion Liu Xiang, who is a sporting god in his home country of China, and world-record holder Dayron Robles, of Cuba.

Turner continued: "I know I have performed well on the big stage so I'm confident that even though I have had a poor season so far, things will go just fine in Beijing.

"In big competitions like this, you need to stay relaxed, not force a hurdle and let it flow. People who have never been to a championships tend to tighten up, make mistakes and get overawed. But this is where experience helps.

"It is all about who executes their race best on the day. Times throughout the season count for nothing at a championships."

Of his medal chances, Turner, whose personal-best time of 13.27 seconds was achieved in the world championships in Osaka, Japan last year, said: "I think I'm going to have to run 13 seconds flat for a medal. But who knows?

"I go into every race trying to win. I think that, physically, you can be 80% right but if your mind and attitude are 100% and you have self-belief, amazing things can happen.

"I always have self-belief. That's why I'm excited about competing. I'm feeling positive and believe I will perform well when I need to.

"I haven't trained for four years for nothing so I will be giving it everything I've got."

Turner's parents, Yvonne and Malcolm Turner, were hoping they would make it out to China to see their son but are likely to be watching in front of the TV in the family home on Nottingham Road.

It will be the same for his girlfriend, Natalie, and their two daughters in the home they share in Sutton, Surrey.