Liu confident for championships title
(Reuters)Updated: 2007-05-07 10:50
OSAKA, Japan - Chinese star hurdler Liu Xiang believes the track surface of the Nagai stadium will suit him in his quest for a gold medal at the world athletics championships here later this year.
 Olympic champion and world record-holder Liu Xiang of China reacts after winning the men's 110-meter hurdles in 13.14 seconds in the IAAF Japan Grand Prix in Osaka, western Japan, Saturday, May 5, 2007. [AP] |
"I've heard the track has been changed, but I felt really good," said the 23-year-old world record holder after winning the Japan Grand Prix for a fourth year running on Saturday - giving him a 100 percent winning record on the track.
"I was third in 2003 and second in the 2005 in the world championships, so I certainly hope to get a better result this time around."
The world championships, the last major athletics event before the Beijing Olympics in 2008, will be held at the stadium in August.
In 2004, Liu set a new Asian record in his first victory here, setting the scene for his excellent performance at the Olympics where he equalled the previous world record of 12.91 to become Asia's first Olympic track gold medallist.
Liu then broke the 13-year-old world mark by clocking 12.88 at the Super Grand Prix in Lausanne in July last year and he now holds three of the top 10 all-time performances ever.
On Saturday, Liu ran safely in order to avoid getting an injury, but he still marked the season's best time of 13.14 seconds in his first outdoor race this year.
"I didn't do a special preparation for this race, because there were not big rivals here (like Allen Johnson), so I was pretty sure of winning it if I could run my usual race," said Liu.
"I set a personal best of 7.42 in Germany this season (in the indoor 60m hurdles), so I'm quite confident."
Fellow Chinese Shi Dongpeng, whom Liu defeated into second in the Doha Asian Games in December, ran a personal best of 13.24 seconds for second place.
Liu insisted modestly that he "hopes to finish among top eight with Shi Dongpeng" at the world championships.
His coach Sun Haiping said he sets low expectations to try and fend off the pressure he feels as China's national hero.
"For sure, he tries to avoid feeling pressure. I think the surface of the Nagai stadium suits his running. He just wanted to confirm it does," said Sun.
"He didn't run his fastest race because of trying to avoid getting an injury. He can run much faster. He ran a relaxed race."
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