Highgate Harriers Interviews

Alastair Aitken talks to .........

Alastair Aitken

Richard Thompson - August 2010

Danielle Carruthers - August 2010

Angelo Taylor - August 2010

Michael Rimmer - August 2010

British M45 javelin record holder Roald Bradstock

James Shane with his Coach Martin Brown JUNE 2010

Tony Jarrett JUNE 2010

Andy Turner Interview JUNE 2010

ANDREW STEVEN TURNER, I found very amiable. He was born in Nottingham on the 19th of September 1980.
He had great potential as a footballer and rugby player but chose athletics, As he can perform over 100/200 and long jump PB's 10.3/20.93/ and as a junior 7.23 for the long jump therefore, he is a great help to Sale Harriers Manchester as well as to his second claim club Nott's AC. His best time for his speciality the 110 hurdles is 13.2 which he achieved in 2009.Three accolades he obtained should get a mention-3rd Commonwealth Games Melbourne, March, 2006 (13.62); 3rd European Goteborg, August 2006 (13.52-behind winner Stanislav Olijars 13.24) and In the European Super League and European Team Championships in Portugal, in June 2009, he was 1st in 13.42.
His hurdling started with a 'Bang' in 2010, after winning the Nottinghamshire 100/200 he ran 13.39/110 in the street racing in Manchester in May, ahead of Terrence Tramell (USA) and over 200m hurdles he ran 22.30 and beat Bershawn Jackson (USA) 22.53 and Felix Sanchez (Dom) 22.94. He is advised by that successful coach LLoyd Cowan.
Here he talks to Alastair Aitken at Crystal Palace in June
" I was just quick at school. My Dad Malcolm Turner ran the 800 but never broke 2 minutes. He really wanted to and wished he had trained harder. He kind of forced me to go to the track. He wanted me to run. My brother Gary Turner came 4th in the English Schools in 1995. He ran 11.23 as an Under 15, which was quicker than I ran. Then it went from there really with Sports Days.'
' As I say my Dad took me to the track and I fell into hurdles when I was about 14. I went to my first English Schools at 15. Things went from there.(Andy Turner was English Schools and AAA's Under 17 Champion).
Did he follow the careers of 'Great' hurdlers at the time
'I did not really know about athletes on a World stage. I had not really watch anything till Linford's gold medal.
That was the first time I watched any track and field'
' There was a guy out there running at the time called Matthew Clements, he had British records for a young guy. He was running really well and I wanted to try and beat him.He was my target and aim for that age.'
'I never really had the targets to be the best in the World until I was 24 years old.'
' As a junior I struggled with the high hurdles and never thought for a moment that I could make Olympic teams or anything. I was good as an Under 17, as I won the English schools but, when the hurdles were higher I really struggled and in wilderness years I could not even break 16 seconds for the 110's.
I pointed out that Eddy Ottoz was shorter than Andy Turner and very successful (1966-69 European Champion outdoors and three times indoors)
' I really struggled and kept working hard at it and the first major Championships I made was the Olympics 2004. (He ran in the heat). The Olympics in Athens was my first major Championship. I had never been to a European or World Junior Championship or anything. Athens was my first chance and that was where, for the first time, I started to watch people in the World and stuff.
' I admired Colin Jackson but I loved watching Allen Johnson with his technique and I tried to be like him.'
' I know Andy Turner has had problems over the years with his athletics, with some injuries as well but he came through well and appears now to be more relaxed with his running!
' I am a lot different to how I think I was. I used to try too hard, it was bad. This year (2010) I am much more relaxed about it and loving what I am doing. I love getting in the big races and racing the best in the World'
'Manchester did give me a lot of conifidence in my own ability. Beating Terrence Tramell in my first race that was a confidence booster. Even in the 200h--It still doesn't seem real when I race against a World and Olympic Champion at 110 and 400 hurdles. To beat them in a World record in the 200 was kind of surreal. It kind of gave me the confidence to move on now. To compete against the best in the world. I won in Hengelo when Robles was in the field. I think I am more confident in my own ability but more relaxed with it as well.'
What did he do besides athletics or is it a full time job?
" I do train full time but my brother started a Model agency 2 or 3 years ago. He has just moved to Australia so I took over his side of the business. So I Co-Run a Model Agency as well'
'I have got my two little girls as well. When I go home I have no time to think about athletics. You go to work in the day time and I come back and I just love being with my kids and stuff. It relaxes me.'
I said You have got to have faith in yourself?
" You need that self-belief to be able to give everything in the race. With the likes of Robles you know they ar going to get away from you at the start. You have got to be confident in your own ability to stay relaxed and concentrate on your 10 hurdles and run your own race. When you learn that times start to come.'
I did an interview with Robles for Richard Xerri's Runninginlondon.com website and Felix Sanchez was the interpreter. Richard Xerri put a U Tube of Robles on with the interview. Robles was doing his incredible fast exercise with a hudle which was quite something to see. Did Andy do special drills?
' We have certain drills to get my technique tighter and faster over the barriers and stuff. Obviously there is a lot to work on my technique as it is far from perfect. Someone like Robles you can watch his technique all day long and try and learn his technique, as weird as it is. To me he is almost the complete hurdler and you can learn a lot from watching him. He is fluent and effortless'
Would he like to compete for a long time then
' I don't compete for money. I love to do it I don't think I have run as quick as I can. I am not like Robles or Usain Bolt and run a race and earn 100 grand and then sit back and do nothing like. That is not how it is for me. I just enjoy the sport'
Has he enjoyed running for Sale Manchester as well as his second claim club Nott's AC
' Sale are a good club. They help me out when ever they can. They seem very loyal and I enjoy running for them."

Alastair Aitken