TURNER IS PRIDE OF ASHFIELD

The 27-year-old sprint hurdler was honoured at Ashfield's annual civic event last Friday night at Portland Training College in Mansfield.

The event is held to encourage civic pride in the Ashfield district by recognising citizens, groups and employers who have demonstrated an outstanding contribution or achievement.

Turner's award was one of five in the sport category, alongside junior, disabled, team and coach awards.

The reigning Commonwealth and European 110m hurdles outdoor bronze medallist said: "I am very pleased to get this award. I really do appreciate it and it means a lot to me because it is a local award.

"The people of Hucknall and, in particular Dispatch readers, have supported me over the years.

"It is those people who have recognised me as the top sports personality in Ashfield."

Turner's mum Yvonne collected the award for him because he is currently undergoing six weeks of warm-weather training in Los Angeles, USA with the Great Britain athletics team.

The father of two, whose family home is on Nottingham Road but who himself now lives in Cheam in Surrey, has already achieved the 110m qualifying time for this year's Beijing Olympic Games – thanks to the personal-best time of 13.27 seconds he set at the World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan last year.

So, barring any injuries, Turner will be competing in China for Team GB when the Games begin on August 8.

His 2004 Olympics – when he became the first Hucknall athlete to qualify for the summer Games – were sadly disrupted by injury and he crashed out in the First Round.