China's top hurdler Liu Xiang will cut down on his commitments
on the track this year to keep himself fresh and injury-free for
the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
"The number of tournaments on my schedule this season will be
around 10, which is almost half of what I competed last year," Liu
said in Shanghai yesterday during a promotion event for the 2006
IAAF Shanghai Golden Prix this September.
"My coach and I made the decision to limit my calender to avoid
the strain that comes from competing too much, and lack of rest,
which was what happened to me last year," the Athens Olympic
medalist said.
Liu, 23, competed in 19 tournaments in 2005, following his
stunning world-record equaling victory in the 110 meters hurdle in
Athens in 2004.
Although he finished a close second behind France's Ladji
Doucoure at the IAAF World Championships in Helsinki last August,
the sprinter was unable to repeat his Athens performance where he
equalled Britain's Collin Jack-son's world record of 12.91
seconds.
"We can't let that continue any more," said Sun Haiping, Liu's
long-time coach. "Our top priority is the Beijing Olympics and to
prepare for an event of that scale we need a long-term regime that
would allow him to peak just in time during the Games.
"Cutting back on our engagements is just the beginning of that
strategy."
Liu was schedule to kick off his season this year at the IAAF
Indoor World Championships last month but was hampered by a
sprained ankle. He now plans to return to the track at the Osaka
leg of the IAAF World Athletics Tour next month. He has also signed
up for the IAAF World Cup in Germany, the Asian Games in Doha
besides the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix on home track.
"Hopefully, this year we will see a complete field of the
world's best coming to Shanghai," Liu said, referring to Doucoure's
absence from the inaugural meet last year. "It would be exciting to
beat them in front of the home crowd."
Last year, Liu edged American veteran Allen Johnson as 40,000
fans roared him on at the Shanghai Stadium.
The Shanghai GP will host 14 events on September 23 this year.
Besides Liu, sprint king Justin Gatlin, the world champion in both
the men's 100 and 200 meters, as well as top pole vaulter Yelena
Isinbayeva, have confirmed their participation at the Shanghai
event.
(
Shanghai Daily April 8, 2006)
