When Colin Jackson hangs up his running spikes in 2003, he will bow out as arguably the finest high hurdler of his generation.

The 35-year-old is certainly the best hurdler Britain has produced, and one of Wales' greatest athletes from any discipline.

The Cardiff-born athlete will bring his 18-year career to an end after the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham next March.

Despite adding a fourth European Championships title in 2002 - also winning the indoor championship - Jackson has resisted the urge to rethink his retirement, wanting to bow out at the top.

The hurdling hero

Name: Colin Ray Jackson Born: 18 Feb 1967 Coach: Malcolm Arnold PB: 12.91secs (world record) World titles: 1993 (wr), 1999 European titles: 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 Commonwealth titles: 1990, 1994 World Indoor titles: 1999 European Indoor titles: 1994 (60m and 60m hurdles), 2001 (6om hurdles) AAA titles: 10 in total

He finished his outdoor career with a disappointing eighth place in the final of the World Cup in Madrid in September, but he can still make amends with a succesful final bow indoors.

Jackson was also disappointed not to take gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, having to settle for silver in Manchester after clattering the first hurdle in the final.

He gave notice to the world that there was a new star on the scene in 1986, winning 110m hurdles gold at the World Junior Championships and silver at the Commonwealth Games.

An Olympic Games silver followed in 1988, although it is one of Jackson's great regrets that he has never taken Olympic gold.

However, five years later in Stuttgart he took the World Championship title in consummate style.

Jackson took gold in a world record time of 12.91 seconds that has still to be bettered by the cream of 110m hurdling.

The Brecon AC athlete also holds the indoor world record after his 7.30sec in Sindelfingen in 1994.

A second World Championship success followed in 1999 in Seville, while there has also been a glut of titles in European, Commonwealth and Indoor competition.

There have also been honours away from the track, with Jackson made a MBE in 1990 for his services to athletics.