Liu targets Olympics after hurdles treble

Superstar Liu Xiang targeted Olympic gold yesterday after completing an Asian Games treble with victory in the 110 metres hurdles to the delight of China’s watching millions.

Amid deafening noise from a packed stadium, the former Olympic champion and world record holder crossed the line in a season-best 13.09 seconds.

His team-mate Shi Dongpeng took silver in 13.38sec to go with his second-place finish in Doha in 2006, with South Korea’s Park Tae-Kyong third in 13.48.

The 27-year-old Liu, who won gold at the 2002 and 2006 editions of the Asian Games, clenched his fists and waved to the crowd as he emerged to mounting excitement levels inside Aoti Main Stadium.

He was quickly into a smooth rhythm once the race started, grazing hurdles two and four but sailing over the rest. Once over the line, he promptly went on a lap of honour with Shi, the two of them hurling their shirts to the crowd.

He said he was now setting his sights on recapturing the Olympic gold he won in Athens in 2004.

“I believe I can (win gold) but, of course, a lot of other factors will be in play,” said Liu, with screams from his fans filtering into the room from outside.

“It’s easy to say I can but I will have to prepare very hard for the gold medal. Anyway, I will work very hard no matter whether I win or not.”

Liu said there was still room for improvement.

“There is still a gap between this performance and my peak form but this is my best performance given current form.

“I still believe I can improve my form,” he added, targeting 13 seconds next year.

It is now 27 months from Liu’s calamitous outing at the Beijing Olympics, when he limped out with an achilles injury to break the hopes of a nation expecting victory from their golden boy on home soil.

His injury, subsequent surgery and rehabilitation have come under much scrutiny in China and the Asian Games marks only his second appearance of the year on home soil, after his third place in the Shanghai Diamond League meet.