SHANGHAI: Olympic hurdles champion and world record holder Liu Xiang (pic) of China is gunning for a fourth consecutive win at next month’s Osaka Grand Prix, a prelude to the World Championships later this year in the same Japanese city.
“Osaka has been a lucky city for me because I have never lost a competition there. I am trying my best to keep my 100 per cent record,’’ Liu, the world-record holder in the 110m hurdles, said in an interview with Chinese television.
“A victory in May will give me more confidence to win in August’’ at the worlds in Osaka, Liu said.
With winning becoming almost routine, Liu and his coach have introduced changes to keep things interesting, moving his spring training base this year from his hometown of Shanghai to China’s capital Beijing, where he is joined by other top Chinese athletes.
“It’s a different mood in a different place. There are also some team mates training with me and this will help me a lot,’’ Liu said.
Coach Sun Haiping said the change of locales would hopefully keep boredom at bay, saying his concerns were avoiding injuries and balancing Liu’s training with advertising shoots and personal appearances. – AP