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Easy for Liu as divers shine in HK
Source: Agencies |
December 12, 2009, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
Former world and Olympic champion Liu Xiang took another step in his recovery from a career-threatening injury by winning the 110 meters hurdles in Hong Kong yesterday.
Liu coasted to victory against a mediocre field in a time of 13.66 seconds, well behind the 12.88 he ran to set a world record in 2006 before a torn achilles forced him to limp out of the Beijing Olympics last year. Cuba's Dayron Robles has since bettered the world record by one-hundreth of a second.
"My foot is good, there wasn't much problem, but it was a little sore," the 26-year-old Liu told reporters on the track, where his every move was cheered by a sellout crowd of 3,500 people. "It will definitely get slowly better ... though I still have to protect my body a little more."
Liu, who finished second in an IAAF Golden Grand Prix in Shanghai in September before winning gold at last month's Asian athletics championships, said the 2012 London Olympics were one of his major goals but played down the chances of taking back the world record.
He ran 13.15 seconds in Shanghai and clocked 13.34 at the National Games and 13.50 at the Asian Championships last month.
"I haven't even thought about breaking the world record, I don't have such hopes at all," said Liu. "I have confidence in competing in London ... it may be my last Olympics so I'd like to have a good finish (to my career)."
Liu's long-time coach Sun Haiping described Liu's performance as satisfactory, adding that the hurdler was a little tired. "The recovery isn't bad, but he still needs time," Sun told reporters.
Robles meanwhile is setting his sights of a possible showdown with Liu at the World Indoor Championships in Doha in March.
The Cuban failed to reach the final at the world championships in Berlin three months ago, pulling up injured after hitting the first three hurdles in his semifinal heat.
Robles has said the return of Liu "will make 110-meter hurdles more tasty, put salsa on it."
In the other 10 golds on offer in track and field at the Games, China won nine.
Elsewhere, China won all three golds on the first day of diving -- in the men's 3-meter springboard, the women's 1-meter springboard and the men's 10-meter platform synchronized competition.
In women's basketball, Huang Hongpin was 8-for-8 from the field, leading China in its decisive 83-58 victory over Chinese Taipei.
On the last day of weightlifting, the women's 75 kilograms and over and men's 105-kilogram titles went to China, with South Korea taking the men's 105 kilograms and over category.
Beijing Olympics badminton men's singles champion Lin Dan won in straight sets as China beat South Korea 3-1 in the men's team final.
China won three of the first six golds in rowing.
With two days of competition remaining, China holds a commanding lead in the gold-medal table with 76 -- twice Japan's tally.
South Korea is in third with 30 golds and China's Hong Kong fourth with 11.
Chinese Taipei has six, putting it in fifth place.
Liu coasted to victory against a mediocre field in a time of 13.66 seconds, well behind the 12.88 he ran to set a world record in 2006 before a torn achilles forced him to limp out of the Beijing Olympics last year. Cuba's Dayron Robles has since bettered the world record by one-hundreth of a second.
"My foot is good, there wasn't much problem, but it was a little sore," the 26-year-old Liu told reporters on the track, where his every move was cheered by a sellout crowd of 3,500 people. "It will definitely get slowly better ... though I still have to protect my body a little more."
Liu, who finished second in an IAAF Golden Grand Prix in Shanghai in September before winning gold at last month's Asian athletics championships, said the 2012 London Olympics were one of his major goals but played down the chances of taking back the world record.
He ran 13.15 seconds in Shanghai and clocked 13.34 at the National Games and 13.50 at the Asian Championships last month.
"I haven't even thought about breaking the world record, I don't have such hopes at all," said Liu. "I have confidence in competing in London ... it may be my last Olympics so I'd like to have a good finish (to my career)."
Liu's long-time coach Sun Haiping described Liu's performance as satisfactory, adding that the hurdler was a little tired. "The recovery isn't bad, but he still needs time," Sun told reporters.
Robles meanwhile is setting his sights of a possible showdown with Liu at the World Indoor Championships in Doha in March.
The Cuban failed to reach the final at the world championships in Berlin three months ago, pulling up injured after hitting the first three hurdles in his semifinal heat.
Robles has said the return of Liu "will make 110-meter hurdles more tasty, put salsa on it."
In the other 10 golds on offer in track and field at the Games, China won nine.
Elsewhere, China won all three golds on the first day of diving -- in the men's 3-meter springboard, the women's 1-meter springboard and the men's 10-meter platform synchronized competition.
In women's basketball, Huang Hongpin was 8-for-8 from the field, leading China in its decisive 83-58 victory over Chinese Taipei.
On the last day of weightlifting, the women's 75 kilograms and over and men's 105-kilogram titles went to China, with South Korea taking the men's 105 kilograms and over category.
Beijing Olympics badminton men's singles champion Lin Dan won in straight sets as China beat South Korea 3-1 in the men's team final.
China won three of the first six golds in rowing.
With two days of competition remaining, China holds a commanding lead in the gold-medal table with 76 -- twice Japan's tally.
South Korea is in third with 30 golds and China's Hong Kong fourth with 11.
Chinese Taipei has six, putting it in fifth place.
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