Liu's coach to work on new strategy after bitter sweet silver
August 31, 2011, Wednesday
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LIU Xiang could be forgiven for feeling aggrieved after being robbed of the hurdles world title at Daegu but the Chinese was just happy to be back winning medals in major championships.
Three years after limping away from the heats at the Beijing Olympics, the 28-year-old was back at the very top table of international athletics and looking close to his once brilliant best.
But for the bump from the hand of Dayron Robles in Monday's final, Liu was convinced that he would have reclaimed the world title he won as world record holder and Olympic champion in his pre-Beijing pomp in 2007.
Cuban Robles took both Liu's record and Olympic title in 2008 but was denied a first world title on Monday when he was disqualified for obstructing Liu and the gold went to American Jason Richardson.
Liu, who crossed the line third after losing his balance, ended up with a second world championship silver to add to the one he won in 2005 and declared himself satisfied.
"I'm satisfied with the performance and there is only little regret in the race," he told reporters. "I have won the gold medals at the world championships and the Olympic Games, and medals of all colors.
"My aim this time was to win a medal, and I achieved it."
Liu seemed genuinely to lack any bitterness towards Robles, who he had informed of the disqualification when he saw it on television when both athletes were in doping control.
The two fastest hurdlers of all time - Robles's world record of 12.88 seconds is just a hundredth of a second quicker than Liu's best - will be looking forward to renewing their rivalry at the London Olympics next year.
His coach Sun Haipin said Liu was unlikely to race again this season but they would continue to work on the new strategy of taking seven rather than eight steps to the first hurdle.
Liu adopted it only a few months ago but his starts in Daegu were generally poor compared to Robles and powerful Americans like Richardson and David Oliver, leaving him to rely on his surging finish to get back in races. Another benefit to getting out in front earlier would be making it less likely Liu would be caught by a rival's hand.
"That way, no one will be able to grab Liu Xiang, not unless you grab his clothes," Sun said.
Three years after limping away from the heats at the Beijing Olympics, the 28-year-old was back at the very top table of international athletics and looking close to his once brilliant best.
But for the bump from the hand of Dayron Robles in Monday's final, Liu was convinced that he would have reclaimed the world title he won as world record holder and Olympic champion in his pre-Beijing pomp in 2007.
Cuban Robles took both Liu's record and Olympic title in 2008 but was denied a first world title on Monday when he was disqualified for obstructing Liu and the gold went to American Jason Richardson.
Liu, who crossed the line third after losing his balance, ended up with a second world championship silver to add to the one he won in 2005 and declared himself satisfied.
"I'm satisfied with the performance and there is only little regret in the race," he told reporters. "I have won the gold medals at the world championships and the Olympic Games, and medals of all colors.
"My aim this time was to win a medal, and I achieved it."
Liu seemed genuinely to lack any bitterness towards Robles, who he had informed of the disqualification when he saw it on television when both athletes were in doping control.
The two fastest hurdlers of all time - Robles's world record of 12.88 seconds is just a hundredth of a second quicker than Liu's best - will be looking forward to renewing their rivalry at the London Olympics next year.
His coach Sun Haipin said Liu was unlikely to race again this season but they would continue to work on the new strategy of taking seven rather than eight steps to the first hurdle.
Liu adopted it only a few months ago but his starts in Daegu were generally poor compared to Robles and powerful Americans like Richardson and David Oliver, leaving him to rely on his surging finish to get back in races. Another benefit to getting out in front earlier would be making it less likely Liu would be caught by a rival's hand.
"That way, no one will be able to grab Liu Xiang, not unless you grab his clothes," Sun said.
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