China's Liu Xiang (L-2) competes during the men's 110m hurdles heat at the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, Monday Dec. 11, 2006. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    DOHA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Men's 110m hurdles Olympic champion and world record holder Liu Xiang clocked 13.74 seconds here on Monday to storm into Tuesday's final of the Doha Asian Games.

    The 23-year-old Chinese, who shattered the world record when he clocked 12.88 seconds at an IAAF meet in Lausanne last July, did not come all out of himself Monday morning in the qualifying heats but still easily beat the second finisher Park Tae-Kyong of South Korea by 0.13 seconds.

    "I'm tired and dizzy after getting up so early at 5:40 this morning, and failed to make a fine start after another sprinter of my heat committed a false start and then started ahead of the signal gun buzzed," said Liu.

    "But it's no big deal. I made the final and everything will be ok," he added.

    Other finalists include 22-year-old Chinese Shi Dongpeng, who was edged by Japan's Masato Naito at 0.01 seconds but still make Tuesday afternoon's final on 13.71 as the second fastest in the other heat.

    According to the qualification rules of Asiad, the first 3 finisher in each of the two heats and the next 2 fastest from both advance to the final.

    The defending champion Liu, who won the IAAF Performance of the Year Award last month, is looking to round off his sizzling season in style with a second Asian Games gold.

    Four years ago in Busan, Liu scored a runaway victory in the 110m hurdles, clocking a games record of 13.27, bettering compatriot Li Tong's 1994 mark of 13.30.

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