Liu needs another six months to hit top form
(09-23 14:26)
China's star hurdler Liu Xiang is not expected to reach his peak for six more months despite a blistering performance in his first race since missing the Olympics.
On Sunday, Liu thrilled a hometown crowd in Shanghai with a photo-finish in the 110-meter hurdles at the Golden Grand Prix, crossing the line neck-and-neck with world No 2 Terrence Trammell of the United States, pictured, in a wind-aided time of 13.15 seconds.
Judges awarded Trammell first place as both the Liu and the American matched the eighth-fastest time in the world this year, but well off Liu's former world record and personal best of 12.88 seconds.
"The result was out of the ordinary -- we wanted him to run 13.50 seconds, thinking that he could do a 13.40, but we never expected him to run so fast,'' the China Youth Daily quoted Liu's coach Sun Haiping as saying.
The race was Liu's first since his dramatic withdrawal from the Beijing Olympics in August last year and subsequent surgery in December to repair his Achilles tendon.
Sun said Liu would need six more months to reach peak form.
"I think that only a year after an operation, can you really begin the highest-level training and get Liu Xiang back up to top world standards?''
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE |
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