This season, Dayron Robles has taken huge strides and should pose a threat to Liu Xiang. The Chinese, however, remains the favourite to win in Beijing, writes K. P. Mohan.
The moment the whole of China would be waiting for is the clash between Liu Xiang and Dayron Robles in the 110 metres hurdles final at the Beijing Games. The battle that pits the Olympic and World champion against the world record holder is not for the faint-hearted.
The burden of his nation’s expectations should already be telling on Liu Xiang and despite assertions to the contrary from the Chinese camp, they know pressure can destroy the best on a stage like the Olympics.
Liu Xiang has already won an Olympic title — the first Chinese to do so in athletics — in Athens, where he equalled Colin Jackson’s world record of 12.91 seconds. This brought him fame and money and the Shanghai hurdler became such a popular figure in his country that it became difficult for him to move around without being mobbed. Expectations after his world record (12.88) in 2006, and the World Championship title in 2007, reached such levels that the Chinese athletics association officials asked him not to sign a single autograph during the National Championships.
Liu Xiang has been avoiding National meets as far as possible, concentrating instead on his international engagements. This year, however, he had participated in just three meets, one in Osaka and two in the US. He had to pull out of one of the US meets because of a hamstring twinge that could still be bothering him, and was disqualified at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, for a false start. Coach Sun Haipeng has, however, played down the injury.
Robles, in the meantime, has ‘peaked’ nicely towards his goal. The 21-year-old Cuban has remained unbeaten through the season (up to July 18) winning eight races including the one in Ostrava where he set the world record of 12.87 on June 12. Just over a month later, he clocked 12.88 in the Paris Golden League for his second all-time best performance.
“When the world record is broken it is a concern for him (Liu). It says your rivals are in good shape and I believe that maybe Liu should reflect on that,” the Cuban said.
“I believe at least five guys can win in Beijing, but Liu is the favourite. He is the guy to beat,” he said a week after bettering the world record during an IAAF conference call.
Both Liu Xiang and Robles are excellent technicians over the hurdles. Former world record holder Renaldo Nehemiah says that the Chinese is able to go at his top speed which is lesser than some of his rivals because of his excellent technique over the hurdles. And since he is able to relax without the fear of hitting the hurdles he is able to clear them low.
The faster men have to always adjust their speed in between hurdles and that proves a handicap, according to Nehemiah.
“He is terrific, but I should beat him since I am older than him,” Liu Xiang was recently quoted as saying of Robles. The Chinese is 25.
Beginning 2006, Liu Xiang holds a 6-4 edge over Robles in their head-to-head combat, his last defeat having come at home in the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix last year.
In fact, Liu Xiang had then come third, behind American Anwar Moore. Three of the Cuban’s victories had come last year. In another race in 2006, at St. Denis, Robles had finished third to Liu Xiang’s fourth.
A World junior silver medallist in 2004, Robles came fourth in the Osaka Worlds last year at 13.15. This season he has taken huge strides and should pose a threat to Liu Xiang. The Chinese should, however, remain the favourite.
Comments
SHARE