Dai Greene: Ex-world champion sets sights on Commonwealth Games

Ex-world champion hurdler Dai Greene hopes to return from injury to qualify for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Welshman Greene, 31, held the Commonwealth, European and World titles in the 400m hurdles back in 2011.

Since then his career has been dominated by injuries - the latest being a six-month lay-off for a groin problem that ruled him out of this year's World Championships in London.

"The last few years have been a struggle," Greene told BBC Sport Wales.

"There's nothing worse than training without the end product, so I'm desperate to get back out on the track and compete with the best in the world.

"This (the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia) may well be my last chance to run in the Welsh vest and I'm just as eager as ever."

Welsh Athletics have set the Commonwealth Games 'B standard' of 50 seconds for their competitors in the 400m hurdles, needed to be achieved before the end of November.

Greene's personal best is 47.84 - which he set more than five years ago.

"I'm faster than I have been for a long, long time," he said. "So hopefully there's time for me to get a race in before the end of the year.

"It'd be a great reward for me. Missing London was hard enough. If I was to miss another one in April it'd be really disappointing.

"I feel I deserve things to go my way a little bit!"

Greene says he hasn't had an injury-free season since 2012 - when he came fourth at the London Olympics.

The numerous lay-offs that followed saw him lose his National Lottery funding in 2016.

He says that without the memories of his previous successes, he may have given up the sport.

But now he feels he can get back amongst the best in the world.

"I feel that since I've been away, the 400m hurdles hasn't moved on," he said.

"I've seen people qualify for finals a lot slower than what I was running when I was near my best. So I look at that and think I can still compete with these guys.

"Losing my funding wasn't the be all and end all. I don't do it for the finances. I just want to be fit and healthy."

The Commonwealth Games will be held on Australia's Gold Coast from 4 to 15 April 2018.