Liu to contest Worlds if fit

Chinese star hurdler Liu Xiang will be back in time for the World Championships next August if his rehabilitation goes according to plan, China's athletics senior official said yesterday.

"The full recovery of Liu depends on many factors and it is hard to predict right now," said Feng Shuyong, vice-director of Chinese Athletics Administrative Center. "If he is in good condition, it will be possible for him to run at the World Championships next year."

The 25-year-old had surgery on his right Achilles' tendon in Houston on Dec 6.