Liu Xiang arrives in London, eying second Olympic gold medal

London, July 12: China’s high hurdler Liu Xiang has arrived here aiming for a second Olympic gold medal after his first win in Athens eight years ago.

He will first compete in the IAAF Diamond League London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace Friday, which will be his last warm-up event before the Olympic games.

“I have never taken the Diamond League event as a serious competition,” he told reporters on arrival at the Heathrow airport Wednesday, reports Xinhua.

“I am very relaxed and will not give myself in to too much pressure.”

Liu will not join China’s training camp in Leeds, choosing to stay in London for his pre-Olympic training.

He is scheduled to run his first race in the heat of the Olympic Games August 7. The men’s 110 metres hurdles semi-final and final will be both held on August 8, which is the fourth anniversary of the opening of the Beijing Olympic games.

Liu, as the favourite of winning the title at home, shocked the world four years ago at Beijing’s Bird’s Nest stadium by pulling out in the semi-finals in front of a capacity home crowd, citing an Achilles injury.

He has regained form in the past year, winning the silver and narrowly missing the title at last year’s world championships. He registered a world record – tying time of 12.87 seconds assisted by wind.