Coach plays down Liu's chances of beating 13 seconds

With this year's Shanghai leg of the newly launched IAAF Diamond League circuit a little more than a month away, the coach of Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang said the superstar will not be able to best 13 seconds in his latest comeback.

"It's impossible (for him to run within 13 seconds right now). We firstly have to make sure his physical condition is sound," said Sun Haiping during a Monday press conference to promote the Shanghai meet.

The meet is slated for May 23 and will be the season's first outdoor appearance for Liu. He made a successful return from injury last September at the IAAF Shanghai Golden GP with a stunning second-place finish in 13.15 seconds after a lengthy recovery from a career-threatening injury during the 2008 Beijing Games.