GIANNI Frankis is determined to bounce back from an injury hit 2012 by earning international selection again this season. The sprint hurdler, from Pitsea, saw his Olympic hopes ended by a hamstring problem last term. And he is now fired up to rediscover his best form, starting with tomorrow’s indoor meeting in Glasgow, where he is part of the Great Britain team.

“I’m looking forward to racing again this weekend and this is a very big year for me,” said Frankis, 24, who will be up against a field that includes the husband of British 100m hurdles star Tiffany Porter, Jeff Porter, who competes for the USA.

“I’ve been out of the squads for far too long now because of injuries and it’s now time for me to start making them again.

“In the past I’ve always used the indoor season as a stepping stone for the outdoor season later in the year.

“But that’s not the case now and I’m going to be really going for it. “

I want to make the squads, both indoors and out, and I’m feeling confident too because since about September my training has not been disrupted by any injuries and I’m feeling in really good shape.”

That was not the case last season when a hamstring problem restricted Frankis’ movement and led to him missing out on selection for the London Olympics.

That hit Frankis hard but he took comfort from several other athletes being in the same position and that fellow British athlete Lawrence Clarke went on to finish fourth in the final.

“It was physically and mentally hard but I wasn’t the only one going through it and that helped,” said Frankis. “Half the squad you would have expected to be picked were probably injured and I also took great encouragement from Lawrence coming fourth because that proved that not only am I close to being selected, but I’m also close to some of the best runners in the world.”

Frankis is keen to prove that this weekend and also again when he runs for England in an international meeting in Vienna next Tuesday.

The former King John School pupil has set personal best times there in the past. And he would love to repeat that trick.

“It’s an excellent opportunity to run fast,” said Frankis, whose current indoor personal best is 7.70 seconds. “It would be nice to set another PB there and start the season as I mean to go on.”