CHINA> Regional
Liu Xiang could return at Shanghai meeting: organisers
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-09-02 21:50

Liu Xiang could return at Shanghai meeting: organisers
China's Liu Xiang clears a hurdle at a training base in Shanghai June 30, 2009. [Agencies] Liu Xiang could return at Shanghai meeting: organisers

BEIJING: China's highest profile athlete Liu Xiang could still make his return to competition at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix in his home city later this month, organisers said on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old former 110 metres hurdles world and Olympic champion has not raced since hobbling out of his first heat at the Beijing Olympics last August but returned to training in spikes in July.

Related readings:
Liu Xiang could return at Shanghai meeting: organisers Liu Xiang leaps into new history text
Liu Xiang could return at Shanghai meeting: organisers Hurdler Liu Xiang is recovering
Liu Xiang could return at Shanghai meeting: organisers Liu Xiang's absence a blow to China's Worlds hopes
Liu Xiang could return at Shanghai meeting: organisers Liu Xiang's comeback still uncertain
"We are still waiting for his coach's decision," Xu Lin of Waggener Edstrom public relations said by telephone on Wednesday. "Even if he cannot run he will attend other promotional events and watch the competition."

Triple Olympic and world champion sprinter Usain Bolt has already been confirmed in a strong field for the September 20 meeting, which will also feature Veronica Campbell-Brown in the 200 metres and Yelena Isinbayeva in the pole vault.

Liu's return at the 56,000-seater Shanghai Stadium would upstage even Bolt, but his participation must remain a doubt as his coach Sun Haiping said he was targeting next month's Chinese National Games as a warm-up for November's Asian championships.

"We have finalised the list of foreign participants but not the Chinese athletes because we do not know whether Liu Xiang can compete," Xu added. "We can only confirm it (next week)."

If Liu does run, he would be up against familiar faces in Americans Terrence Trammell, runner up behind the Chinese at the 2004 Athens Olympics and 2007 world championships, and David Oliver, who won bronze in Beijing last year.