OSAKA, Japan - With China's head of state occupying the presidential suite of the same Osaka hotel as him, Olympic 110 metres hurdles champion Liu Xiang promised a winning performance this weekend in a warm-up for the Beijing Games.
Liu Xiang(L) is at a training session with coach Sun Haiping in Shanghai in this March 26 file photo. [Xinhua]
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Liu added the world title in Japan's second city last year and invited Chinese President Hu Jintao, who is on a state visit to Japan, to watch him at Saturday's Osaka Grand Prix.
"Osaka is a lucky place for me," Liu told reporters on Friday, a couple of hours before the president's arrival at the same hotel. "I've won this event four times in a row and it's always given me a boost for the rest of the season.
"Obviously I hope for the same this year. I have met the president many times and I hope he can watch."
"I watched the torch reach the top of Mount Everest on Japanese TV yesterday," said Liu, who became China's first male Olympic track and field gold medallist at Athens in 2004.
"To see the torch on the mountain was special -- a proud moment not just for Chinese people but for all people around the world. It gave us all a big lift to see it."
The 24-year-old admitted he was beginning to feel some pressure, although he immediately warned his rivals he would not fold in Beijing in August.
"Of course there is big pressure on me now," said Liu, who holds the world record of 12.88 seconds. "Everyone knows who I am and expects me to win every race. But I'll be totally focused.
"It's my second Olympics and I'm confident in my ability not to lose concentration. I've improved a lot over the past four years.
"Hurdling is not just about speed. I've worked hard on improving my strength and technique. I think I'm better now than I was in Athens."
Liu will be competing in his first major event since his victory in the 60 metres hurdles at the world indoor championships in Valencia, Spain, in March.
"I can go out and run smoothly in Osaka," he said. "I've never been beaten here. But I'm just trying to make sure I am at the absolute peak of my powers for the Beijing Olympics."
