|
 |
|
Athens Olympics gold medallist Liu Xiang of China competes in
the men's 110 metres hurdles finals at the IAAF Japan Grand Prix
2005 in Osaka, Japan, May 7, 2005. Liu won the race
in 13.12 seconds.(Reuters） |
Chinese star hurdler Liu Xiang said he has overcome a mini-slump after
his ground-breaking victory at the Athens Olympics and is back in the hunt
for the world title in August.
Liu, 21, admitted being distracted after Athens, when he set a world
record 12.91sec in the 110m hurdles to become the first Asian to win
Olympic track gold.
"My life completely changed after winning the Olympics and equalling
the world record. I achieved my goal and I had been satisfied with
everything afterwards," said Liu.
"But the advice of my coach, parents and other people woke me up. I
need to train, not only to win a race but also to win the gold medal at
the world championships and other big events."
Liu had a slow start to the year, false-starting at his first indoor
race of the season in Shanghai and managing just 13.59 in Yichun last
month.
But he bounced back with the season's best time of 13.23 at the Chinese
national grand prix in Zhongshan last week, beating American Dominique
Arnold's 13.33.
On Saturday, Liu lowered the mark again to 13.12 to win the Japan Grand
Prix in his first international competition of the season, beating Japan's
Masato Naito and Yuji Ohashi.
"I tell you the truth, I hadn't been training properly after the
Olympics. I took a few months off and I didn't train very well during the
winter as well," said Liu.
"Because I had targeted to win the Olympics and I wanted to relax
afterwards. I thought it would be difficult to keep attaining good results
every year."
Liu also said he was under constant pressure to set a new world record.
"Everybody asks me after the Olympics, 'When will you set a new world
record?' I want to do it at any time. But 12.91 is a very fast time and I
had peaked at that moment," he said.
"It depends on many other things -- course, conditions, and other
elements. I just try to do it in each race. As a hurdler, you will mature
at around 25. I'm still 21. I just try to improve myself step by step in
each race.
"My ideal time is to cut 12.90, but I need to train myself much harder
and I must stay healthy at the same time. That's important. I really want
to break the world record, but I have no idea how fast I can run," he
added.
The world championships will be held in Helsinki.
(AFP) | 
Updated: 2005-05-08 14:12
