WILTSHIRE sprinter Danny Talbot is confident he can get close to the 20-second barrier in his dream of making the Olympic 200m final.

With that mark now the minimum standard when it comes to being in the mix for medals at global championships, Talbot will have to run faster than he ever has done to be a contender in Brazil.

The Trowbridge speedster currently has a personal best of 20.27 seconds, although he set that in the biggest race of his life in the semi-finals of the World Championships last summer in Beijing.

Having clocked his fastest time in his most important race so far, Talbot hopes his record of performing in the biggest races will see him through to the final in Rio and a showdown with the likes of Usain Bolt and Justin Gatlin.

“It’s very difficult to say what times will qualify for the final. Last year in Beijing, I thought 20.27 seconds would make the final,” said Talbot, whose campaign was due to start with the heats in Rio later today.

“There have been times in global championships where that would have won medals and it’s the first time that time didn’t make the final.

“I think I am capable of going very low 20 seconds or possibly under 20 seconds and if I do that, it’s very likely I will be in the final.

“It’s just about if I can do that on the day and if I am feeling good. I just want to execute the race and do everything I have done in training, if I do that in the race, then I will feel good about my chances.”

Should he qualify for the Olympic final, Talbot knows from first-hand experience that nothing is certain when it comes to finishing on the podium.

The 25-year-old finished in an agonising fourth place at the European Championships in Amsterdam earlier this summer, only to be upgraded to a bronze medal after winner Churandy Martina was disqualified for running out of his lane.

“I am very confident at the moment, I know where I am at in training and I’ve got to keep going and executing my races and I feel good that I will be in contention to make that final,” said Talbot.

“And if I am in that final, just look at the Europeans, anything can happen. You can finish fourth and someone can get disqualified and you can be upgraded.

“Anything can happen once you are in that final and qualifying for that is my main aim.”