Olympic champion Liu Xiang thinks he will break his own 110 metres hurdles world record and claim the world title this year, local media reported yesterday.

Liu set a new world mark of 12.88 seconds in Lausanne last July, smashing the 12.91 he shared with Briton Colin Jackson since becoming China's first male Olympic track gold medallist at the 2004 Athens Games.

"I think I have the chance to break the world record this year and I am sure I can run faster," the China Daily quoted Liu as saying.

"Breaking the record requires a lot of factors and also luck, so I cannot tell how I will perform. But I think this year is probably the right time."

At a grand prix tournament in New York earlier this month, Liu shook off jet lag and a poor start to clock 12.92 seconds, the fastest time in the world this year.

Liu said his form and a flawless record at Osaka made him confident of picking up the only major title to have eluded him at the world championships in the Japanese city at the end of August.

"Osaka has been a lucky city for me because I have never lost a competition there," said Liu, who was narrowly beaten by Frenchman Ladji Doucoure at the last World Championships in Helsinki in 2005.