Coach doubts Liu can defend crown
Source: Agencies |
March 12, 2010, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
HURDLER Liu Xiang's chances of defending his world indoor title this weekend are almost impossible, one of China's top coaches said on Wednesday.
"He felt he should come," Feng Shuyong, technical leader of the Chinese world championship team to the Doha event, said of Liu's first global meeting since a heartbreaking Achilles injury left him unable to start at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
"But the purpose of coming here is not to go for the medals. It's almost impossible," Feng said in a telephone interview. "He just likes to experience the atmosphere of the championships.
"There may still be a chance for a medal but I think it will be quite difficult.
Slow recovery from his Achilles surgery plus a recent cold have left Liu in not very good shape, said Feng, who has closely followed the former world record holder and 2004 Olympic champion's career.
"He is getting better slowly but there are still problems," the coach said. "When he does high intensity training, it needs two or three days to recover."
The US doctor who performed Liu's surgery said test results during a visit showed the tendon was good but noted more time would be needed for full recovery.
"Another person might have stopped," Feng said before adding: "but in the bottom of his heart, I think he has set a target of London. He prepared for four years to compete in the Olympics in his own country, but unfortunately he could not run in Beijing, so that was a very big regret."
The 2012 London Games would give Liu one more chance.
"He knows it won't be easy," Feng said, "He will be 29 years old with some injuries.
"But it doesn't matter much to him. He just wants to run there and he will be satisfied."
The hurdles race will bring together Cuban outdoor world record holder Dayron Robles, American two-time former winner Terrence Trammell and Liu.
"People want to see the three of us compete with no one injured. I don't think we've really had that to actually occur," said Trammell, who has the year's leading time of 7.41 seconds. Despite Feng's assertion, Trammell said he expected Liu to be a contender.
Meanwhile, American sprint favorite Ivory Williams has tested positive for marijuana and ruled ineligible for Doha, costing the event one of its key matchups, officials said on Wednesday.
The US Anti-Doping Agency said Williams had tested positive for a metabolite of marijuana at the US indoor championships in February and had been disqualified from all results at the meeting, thus nullifying his chance to compete in the world championships.
Williams, 24, had been expected to meet British European champion Dwain Chambers over 60 meters in one of the highlights of the indoor championships, which begin today.
"He felt he should come," Feng Shuyong, technical leader of the Chinese world championship team to the Doha event, said of Liu's first global meeting since a heartbreaking Achilles injury left him unable to start at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
"But the purpose of coming here is not to go for the medals. It's almost impossible," Feng said in a telephone interview. "He just likes to experience the atmosphere of the championships.
"There may still be a chance for a medal but I think it will be quite difficult.
Slow recovery from his Achilles surgery plus a recent cold have left Liu in not very good shape, said Feng, who has closely followed the former world record holder and 2004 Olympic champion's career.
"He is getting better slowly but there are still problems," the coach said. "When he does high intensity training, it needs two or three days to recover."
The US doctor who performed Liu's surgery said test results during a visit showed the tendon was good but noted more time would be needed for full recovery.
"Another person might have stopped," Feng said before adding: "but in the bottom of his heart, I think he has set a target of London. He prepared for four years to compete in the Olympics in his own country, but unfortunately he could not run in Beijing, so that was a very big regret."
The 2012 London Games would give Liu one more chance.
"He knows it won't be easy," Feng said, "He will be 29 years old with some injuries.
"But it doesn't matter much to him. He just wants to run there and he will be satisfied."
The hurdles race will bring together Cuban outdoor world record holder Dayron Robles, American two-time former winner Terrence Trammell and Liu.
"People want to see the three of us compete with no one injured. I don't think we've really had that to actually occur," said Trammell, who has the year's leading time of 7.41 seconds. Despite Feng's assertion, Trammell said he expected Liu to be a contender.
Meanwhile, American sprint favorite Ivory Williams has tested positive for marijuana and ruled ineligible for Doha, costing the event one of its key matchups, officials said on Wednesday.
The US Anti-Doping Agency said Williams had tested positive for a metabolite of marijuana at the US indoor championships in February and had been disqualified from all results at the meeting, thus nullifying his chance to compete in the world championships.
Williams, 24, had been expected to meet British European champion Dwain Chambers over 60 meters in one of the highlights of the indoor championships, which begin today.
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