Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang (left) poses with his national teammates Hu Kai (center) and Huang Xiaoxiao during a press conference in Shanghai April 7, 2006. (Shanghaidaily.com)

BEIJING, April 8 -- China's top hurdler Liu Xiang will cut down on his commitments on the track this year to keep himself fresh and injury-free for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.    

    "The number of tournaments on my schedule this season will be around 10, which is almost half of what I competed last year," Liu said in Shanghai yesterday during a promotion event for the 2006 IAAF Shanghai Golden Prix this September.

    "My coach and I made the decision to limit my calender to avoid the strain that comes from competing too much, and lack of rest, which was what happened to me last year," the Athens Olympic medalist said.

    Liu, 23, competed in 19 tournaments in 2005, following his stunning world-record equaling victory in the 110 meters hurdle in Athens in 2004.

    Although he finished a close second behind France's Ladji Doucoure at the IAAF World Championships in Helsinki last August, the sprinter was unable to repeat his Athens performance where he equalled Britain's Collin Jack-son's world record of 12.91 seconds.

    "We can't let that continue any more," said Sun Haiping, Liu's long-time coach. "Our top priority is the Beijing Olympics and to prepare for an event of that scale we need a long-term regime that would allow him to peak just in time during the Games.

    "Cutting back on our engagements is just the beginning of that strategy."

    

(Xinhua photo)

Liu was schedule to kick off his season this year at the IAAF Indoor World Championships last month but was hampered by a sprained ankle. He now plans to return to the track at the Osaka leg of the IAAF World Athletics Tour next month. He has also signed up for the IAAF World Cup in Germany, the Asian Games in Doha besides the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix on home track.

    "Hopefully, this year we will see a complete field of the world's best coming to Shanghai," Liu said, referring to Doucoure's absence from the inaugural meet last year. "It would be exciting to beat them in front of the home crowd."

    Last year, Liu edged American veteran Allen Johnson as 40,000 fans roared him on at the Shanghai Stadium.

    The Shanghai GP will host 14 events on September 23 this year. Besides Liu, sprint king Justin Gatlin, the world champion in both the men's 100 and 200 meters, as well as top pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, have confirmed their participation at the Shanghai event.

    (Source: Shanghai Daily)