By Jon Tuxworth
Injured Kookaburra Glenn Turner has set his sights on winning Olympic gold next year, admitting the team's sustained dominance will feel hollow if it fails to win the ultimate prize.
The 31-year-old Goulburn product hopes to return from a long-term pectoral injury in five weeks, giving him plenty of time to press for selection.
Glenn Turner celebrates the Kookaburras' victory over the Netherlands at the World Cup in 2014.Credit: Reuters
The Kookaburras qualified for Rio by making the semis of the Hockey World League in Antwerp, as did the Hockeyroos, featuring Canberrans Anna Flanagan and Edwina Bone.
Turner was part of the Kookaburras side that won bronze at the 2008 Olympics and gold at the last two World Cups.
But snaring the biggest prize the sport has to offer, Olympic gold, is his main motivation.
"Yeah definitely, that's the aim," he said. "I'm dealing with my injury at the moment. I was hoping to come back in three weeks but I'll push it back to four or five.
"The last Olympics didn't go our way and we've talked about that. I feel I can still help the team achieve that biggest goal possible." Turner said.
"Hopefully I'll be back before the finals of the Canberra comp, then hopefully the AHL [Australian Hockey League], then the Hockey India League.
"With the expectations on Australian hockey, we're expected to get it [gold]. It's hard carrying that expectation; we don't really get a lot of publicity until we don't win. But we'll take that any day of the week."
With several youngsters emerging, the Kookaburras are in a transition phase, but Turner is confident he still has the ability to crack their first-choice squad.
He even believes the enforced time off could extend his career.
"The time off will be really good for me. The Olympics and then the World Cup were so hard on your body not just physically, but mentally," he said.
"It's been good to get away from hockey. When I was playing for Australia before I did my injury I thought I was in really good form. If I get back to that, I'm pretty confident I'll be right there.
"It's freshened me up. I've probably dropped a few kilos since the World Cup, which I'm finding harder to do as I get older, and am feeling really comfortable at a lighter weight."