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| September 23, 2006 | Saturday | Sha'aban 29, 1427 |
Liu out for revenge against Johnson
SHANGHAI, Sept 22: China's superstar hurdler Liu Xiang will aim to round off his world record-breaking year with an emphatic win in front of his home fans at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix on Saturday.
Liu, who shattered the 110m record he shared with Colin Jackson with a 12.88 sec run in July, suffered a rare defeat to veteran Allen Johnson last week and is keen to make amends.
“On Saturday night I think I will be ready to run my best... and with Allen next to me I'll be able to run even faster,” he said.
Liu's breakthrough 2004 Olympic title and world record have made him one of the country's hottest properties and the 'Chinese Beckham' guarantees large crowds at the vast Shanghai Stadium, despite a number of big-name absences.
He will be hoping to repeat his performance of last year, when he equalled his previous world record of 12.91 sec as Johnson stumbled on the last hurdle.
“Because this event is in my backyard I will definitely be trying my best, striving to attain my best level. I hope I can get a good result,” said Liu.
Four-time world champion Johnson, 35, tipped the Chinese star to lower the world record again. “I think it's always possible there will be someone who can crack Liu Xiang's record. As a matter of fact, I think he can do it,” said the American.
“I would not be surprised if next year someone ran 12.70-something.”
Joanna Hayes and Michelle Perry, the women's 100m hurdles Olympic and world champions, also paid glowing tribute to Liu.
“He's an incredible athlete, he has very good form and he's very good between the hurdles,” said Hayes.
Allyson Felix and Me'Lisa Barber will look to complete a US clean-sweep although the ageless Merlene Ottey, still running at 46, could make the podium.
Another intriguing event is the men's 1,500m, where Bekele comes up against Alex Kipchirchir and Daniel Komen, the world number one and two, and Olympic silver-medallist Bernard Lagat.
World champion Tirunesh Dibaba will meet fellow Ethiopian Gelete Burika in the women's 5,000m.
In the field events, Olympic and world long-jump king Dwight Philips is against Commonwealth title-holder Ignisious Gaisah, while Ukrainian Olympic champion Yuriy Bilonoh is favourite in the shot-put.—AFP
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