Andy Turner's prize can be medal inspiration for team-mates

Andy Turner hopes his surprise bronze in the men's 110m hurdles can inspire the lesser lights of Team GB to match his achievement.

The European and Commonwealth champion finished fourth in his final but was awarded the bronze when race winner Dayron Robles, of Cuba, was disqualified for impeding China's Liu Xiang.

"It gives people hope I think," Turner said today. "Before the championships, everyone was talking about Jess Ennis, Phillips Idowu, Dai Greene and Mo Farah.

"No one mentioned me and I was happy about that as I didn't want the pressure on me. But, hopefully, I've shown the rest of the team that everyone has opportunities.

"We saw what happened with Usain Bolt in the 100m final, so anything's possible. I hope my surprise bronze can serve as a boost to the rest of the GB squad."

Turner was boarding the bus back to the athletes' village when he heard about the initial Robles appeal from the track referee. Following a counter appeal from Cuban team official, Turner nervously awaited the final outcome surrounded by friends back at the village.

He said: "When I finally got the call, I didn't know what to think or say. My friends were saying 'that's brilliant' and 'well done' but I didn't want to believe it until I got that medal around my neck.

"I wanted to wait for the jumping for joy bit until I had the actual medal and I'd stuffed it in my pocket. It's been surreal, I'll say that much."

But Turner knows he has his work cut out competing with Robles, Liu and American David Oliver, who had a poor race to finish fifth. Within minutes of crossing the line, the Briton, who trains at Lee Valley Stadium in London, was talking with coach Lloyd Cowan about how to catch 'the big three'.

"I know I can't run 12.9secs like those guys," he said. "But I want to catch them and believe I can."

In a bid to do so, Turner will travel to Florida at the end of the season to train with Oliver.