NOVEMBER 12, 20 DAILY PAGE 11 ASIAD TRACK AND FIELD

PHILIPPE LOPEZ / AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Liu Xiang on his way to fi nishing third in the 110m hurdles at the Shanghai IAAF Diamond league athletics meet on May 23. China looks for golden streak STAR 110M HURDLER LEADS STRONG HOST CAST AT THE TRACK IN BY THE NUMBERS >> GAMES By LEI LEI by Bahrain with six and Japan “I want to win at my third Asian champion, , veteran mara- CHINA DAILY with fi ve. Games and add another gold medal thoner Zhou Chunxiu, women’s “Before 1982, the Japanese domi- for China,” Liu said before heading hammer thrower Zhang Wenxiu GUANGZHOU — Since 1982, nated the sport in Asia. But no matter for the games. “I have been in good and women’s discus World Cup ATHLETICS China has dominated track and fi eld — at the or other major form recently and I want to get the champion Li Yanfeng. at the Asian Games, and the simple events — our own performances are right feeling back. My biggest oppo- Due to a foot injury, Bai won’t run aim this time around is to maintain what we are interested in. We hope nent in each race is myself, and I in the at the Guangzhou that high standard in Guangzhou. the athletes can focus on their train- think my confi dence is based on real Games, but will instead compete in 14 “Th e basic goal for the whole team ing and not feel too much pressure to power.” the women’s 10,000m. That makes gold is to maintain the leading position in perform on home soil.” Th e 110m hurdles is considered veteran Zhou, the 2007 the gold medal tally of the sport,” said Although China’s star hurdler, one of China’s strongest events in Marathon champion, the favorite to Feng Shuyong, head coach of China’s Liu Xiang, has been shadowed by athletics. China’s No 2 hurdler, Shi win the marathon. national track and fi eld team. injury since the Games in Dongpeng, who defeated Liu at the Race walker Wang is recovering 9 “The situation will be complex 2008, the former Olympic and world Shanghai Diamond League meet in from a leg injury and will face a stiff silver during the competitions, but our champion is still the man to watch in May, is likely to make it a 1-2 fi nish challenge from the Japanese. main rival is still the Japanese team,” Guangzhou; just as he was two years for the host nation. “All the season’s best results have Feng said. ago at the Beijing Olympic Games. Other potential gold medal- been from Japanese athletes. We At the Doha Asian Games four Th e Shanghai hurdler is confi dent ists include World Championship have to raise our own levels if we are 8 years ago, China claimed 14 gold of winning his third successive Asian men’s 20km walk runner-up Wang to achieve victory in Guangzhou,” bronze medals in track and fi eld, followed Games title. Hao, women’s marathon world said Feng.