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GB wheelchair basketballer Helen Turner looks ahead to London with 200 days to go

10 February 2012

helenturner

This weekend marks 200 days to go until the London 2012 Paralympic Games, and Great Britain wheelchair basketballer Helen Turner is determined to be at her best in a sport that has become ‘more competitive than ever.’

Speaking to London 2012 Paralympic Games sponsors Sainsburys and Channel 4 at Surrey Sports Park, Turner explained how she channels her aggression to her advantage when she's on court.

"If you meet a quiet team and you dominate them through your voice, you can win a game," said the 34-year-old mother.

"I think everyone has aggression in them. It's good to know how to control that and use it in the right way. The more you do it the more aggressive you feel and the better you play."

Turner was part of the GB team that won gold at the BT Paralympic World Cup last year, but she says they will have to put in the work if they are to have anything to shout about at the London 2012 Paralympics.

"It's a much more competitive sport than it ever was," she adds. "Players are training harder - they are fitter, stronger.

"It's difficult and I do miss things, but if I'm doing this and leaving my son and my family then I have to do it properly.

"I'm not going to mess around otherwise it's a waste of everyone's time. It's a commitment and one I'm going to do completely."

Turner was part of the GB women’s wheelchair basketball team that recently spent a weekend in training camp at Surrey Sports Park.

Following the camp, the team went on to win the Belfast International Challenge in a thrilling final over Poland, winning by just 1 point 60-59.

You can watch Helen Turner’s full video interview at Surrey Sports Park here: http://paralympics.channel4.com/sainsburys/video/videoid=1232142/index.html

To mark the 200 days to go milestone tomorrow (Saturday February 11), the British Paralympic Association has announced that it will give two tickets to the London Games to every retired Paralympian who has ever represented Great Britain at the Paralympic Games.