China's Olympic champion Liu Xiang defeated US hurdler Allen Johnson and won the men's 110m hurdles final with 13.14 seconds (wind -0.7m/s) in South Korea's Deagu Athletics Meeting on Thursday.

 

Johnson followed Liu with 13.16 seconds while another US hurdler Aries Merritt ranked the third with 13.36 seconds.

 

"Liu had a good start today," said Liu's coach Sun Haiping.

 

"I'm satisfied with Liu's performance as he won the champion despite tiredness due to recent competitions," Sun told Xinhua News Agency.

 

Liu was upgraded to the first place at 110m hurdles after he took the silver in Athens World Cup in the latest rankings released by IAAF last week.

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 29, 2006)