Newly crowned 100m hurdles world champion Liu Xiang will face a stiff challenge from Caribbean flash Dayron Robles at Friday's Shanghai Golden Grand Prix.

 

The rapidly emerging Cuban dominated the men's 110m hurdles at the Stuttgart IAAF World Athletics final with a near world record run of 12.92 seconds last Sunday.

 

It was a championship, national and continental record and makes him now equal with the likes of Olympic champions Roger Kingdom and Allen Johnson as the fourth fastest ever sprint hurdler.

 

Only World record holder Liu (twice), Colin Jackson and Dominique Arnold has run faster.

 

Even in the absence of Liu, who set an exceptional competition record of 12.93 on the same track last year, the star-studded line-up in Stuttgart included 2003 and 2005 World champions Allen Johnson and Ladji Doucoure and Osaka Worlds silver and bronze medalists Terrence Trammell and David Payne.

 

But a relaxed Liu shrugged off the surging menace, saying he was focused on finishing the year in a positive manner without over exerting himself.

 

"I am not concerned. I will see my remaining matches this year as game of play. Just take it easily," said Liu, who will wrap up the year at the Daegu Athletics Meeting in Korea after Shanghai.

 

The Shanghai-born icon, who overpowered Robles at the Osaka World Championships last month to win his first world title, will also fight it out with archrival and hurdles legend Allen Johnson and fellow teammate Shi Dongpeng.

 

Liu's coach Sun Haiping also played down the fancied Cuban charge in Shanghai.

 

"He will fly to Shanghai from Europe. He will not have enough time to adjust himself to the time difference," Sun said.

 

"I do not think he will have a good result this time in Shanghai."

 

Sun noted that Liu's absence in Stuttgart gave Robles the best chance to make a breakthrough.

 

"Liu did not compete so he was relieved and had no pressure. That's the main reason for such a good run," he said.

 

An under-pressure Robles failed to live up to expectations at the world championships where he finished outside the medals in fourth.

 

But Sun is still cautious, considering Liu is still recovering from a fever he picked up upon returning from Osaka.

 

"It's a high fever and we still need time to recover. He is shaping up very well but not fully fit yet," he said.

 

"It will not have big effect on him and I think Liu will run around 13.10 seconds."

 

Chinese fans will have the chance to see the who's who of track and field in Shanghai.

 

World champions Tyson Gay, Jeremy Wariner, Kenenisa Bekele head the strong field of first-class competitors.

 

Others signed up for the event include pole vault world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva and sprint queen Veronica Campbell, according to the official website.

 

The fastest man on earth, Jamaica's Asafa Powell, will also compete but has opted to run the 200m and so will miss a showdown with American Gay, who beat him to the 100m world title in Osaka last month.

 

Gay also won the 200m in Japan but will not run it in Shanghai.

 

American Kerron Clement, who stormed to a surprise gold in the men's 400m hurdles at the world championships, will be compatriot Wariner's chief threat in the 400m dash.

 

Ethiopia's Bekele, the 10,000m world champion and world record holder, will run the 1,500m up against a host of Kenyans, including Brimin Kipruto and Daniel Kipchirchir Komen.

 

Isinbayeva, who shared the US$1million Golden League jackpot with American 400m runner Sanya Richards this month, is up against her Russian teammate Tatiana Polnova.

 

Campbell's chief threat in the women's 100m will be American pair Lauryn Williams and Carmelita Jeter.

 

Other athletes scheduled to appear at the Shanghai University Town Stadium include women's world 400m hurdles champion Jana Rawlinson of Australia and men's long jump world title holder Irving Saladino from Panama.

 

China aims to well use the chance to compete against the world's elite on home soil.

 

"The Beijing Olympics is not far away. It is a very good chance for our athletes to test themselves," Track and Field Administrative Center boss Feng Shuyong said.

 

"The meeting is better organized and attracts more of the world's top athletes year by year. It is of great help to improve the sport in China."

 

Local hopefuls like women's pole vault Gao Shuying and women's 400m hurdles Wang Xiaoxiao are among those expected to impress.

 

Since beginning in 2005, China's first ever IAAF one-day tournament has gained popularity.

 

This year's GP has officially been integrated into the IAAF World Athletics Tour while all the credit the athletes earn in the competition will for the first time be added to their world rankings points system.

 

(China Daily September 27, 2007)