Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang may not race at Prefontaine
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Still battling a sore right hamstring, Chinese Olympic gold medal hurdler Liu Xiang will decide at race time whether he can compete in Sunday's Prefontaine Classic.
Liu scratched from last weekend's Reebok Grand Prix in New York after his leg tightened up in the hours before the 110-meter hurdles.
At the time, he said he hoped to be ready for Prefontaine, while his coach, Sun Haiping, said it would be difficult for him to recover in time.
His plan is to warm up for Sunday's race, then decide whether he'll go to the starting line.
"The Prefontaine Classic only wants Liu to run if it helps in his preparations for Beijing," meet director Tom Jordan said. "The meet does not want him to do anything that might risk further injury."
Liu is China's biggest star this side of Yao Ming, and is the country's main hope for glory in track and field, which will be held at the Bird's Nest, the $450 million stadium serving as a centerpiece for the Beijing Games.
At a test event there last month, Liu won with a time of 13.18 seconds. He also set the world record of 12.88 seconds in 2006.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
