China's Olympic 110-meter hurdles champion Liu Xiang has been
training hard in preparations for the future clashes against
upsurging Cuban Dayron Robles, his official website revealed on
Wednesday.
Liu, who split titles with 20-year-old Robles in their two
indoor duels so far this season, resumed training at his hometown
of Shanghai on February 20, only three days after the Chinese lunar
new year.
"Liu is in superb training form and practiced very hard after
the Chinese lunar new year, although he did not have a good rest
during the festival," said Liu's coach Sun Haiping Wednesday on the
website.
"I think he really sensed the menace posed by improving Robles
since last year.
Liu, the 110m hurdles world record holder, set a new Asian
winning record of 7.42 seconds for the 60-meter event at the
Karlsruhe Indoors tournament, Germany, on Feb. 11, notching up his
second title of the season following early German victory in
Dusseldorf on Feb. 6.
While Robles, who propelled himself from the 28th at the
inception of 2006 to the first place in the IAAF World Rankings
last September, set a best time of the year so far with 7.38
seconds in Stuttgart indoors after ruling out Liu's efforts.
Robles is now second in the rankings on 1387 points to Liu, only
13 adrift.
"I have made good relations with the Chinese. It has been a
great experience (to compete with Liu) as I have to adapt my
training," the Cuban told the IAAF website after winning the
Stuttgart title. "These two meetings in Germany have drawn Xiang
and me closer."
But the promising youngster eyed not only beating Liu and also
the world record the Chinese created on July 11 last year at
Lausanne, Switzerland.
"I think Liu's record (12.88) is beatable," said Robles last
September when he claimed the top place in the world rankings for
the first time in career.
"I'm young and I already reached the elite level, getting better
and I think I can beat it next year. Now I have to stay there," he
added.
The 24-year-old Liu, who is set to move to Beijing in March for
behind-door training, will race the Osaka Grand Prix in May,
starting his outdoor campaign for the season.
"I have made my new year's resolutions," the Chinese ace said on
Wednesday through his website. "I will try first to win the Osaka
race, that will be my third consecutive title there."
"In July I will come back to Lausanne and I will be competing on
home soil at Shanghai Grand Prix in September, If I can win, they
will both become my third consecutive title too."
And Robles has already included Shanghai campaign on his running
list.
"This year will be long with the Pan American Games, the World
Championships and the Golden League on the agenda, but I would like
to visit China one year before the Olympics."
(Xinhua News Agency March 1, 2007)