NATHAN Douglas insists age is no barrier as he eyes qualifying for three of the biggest events in athletics next year.

The Oxford City AC star is preparing for his 13th season as a senior triple jumper, but is showing no signs of tapering his ambitions.

Having been selected for the Commonwealth Games in Australia next April, Douglas has also set his sights on March’s IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham and then the European Championships in Berlin during August.

Douglas turns 35 next month but, after an injury-free 2017, is confident time is still on his side.

He said: “It’s inevitable, I understand when people want to speak to me about these things (his age).

“But I never think about it that way. I feel no different than when I was 25.”

The World Indoor Championships, held in the city where Douglas trains, are a big attraction.

But with the Commonwealth Games coming at the end of the indoor season, it makes juggling a training programme difficult.

And having not jumped 17 metres since 2010, Douglas knows it will be tough to hit the indoor qualifying standard of 17.05.

The 34-year-old said: “It’s not going to be easy, but I’m up for the challenge.

“I’ll go for it and see what happens.”

Douglas added: “The Commonwealth Games are at a funny time of the year.

“The perfect scenario would be to qualify for the world indoors, because you know you’re in good shape and it puts you in a good place for the Commonwealth Games and the European Championships.

“It’s a challenging year, but it’s something you can pull off if you train very smartly.”

Douglas’s career has been blighted by injury – damaging ankle ligaments in 2011, before a thigh problem ruled him out of the London Olympics 12 months later.

He also suffered a fracture in his back at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, while a pinched knee and tight calf restricted his progress in 2016.

Douglas is by no means slowing down, but admits, with a motivational coaching business to juggle alongside training, he will have to weigh up his options when it comes to competing beyond next year.

He said: “It is a possibility, I would not rule it out. But my whole thought process is 2018.

“After that it’s almost to say, ‘how do I feel, what do I want to do, what are my ambitions?’.”