03/03/2010 - 12:42
Terrence to Face Old Foe in Doha
by Devon Jeffreys

In order to capture the 60m hurdles gold at the IAAF World Indoor Championships later this month, Terrence Trammell will have to hurdle over an old foe.

Former World and Olympic champion Liu Xiang of China confirmed this week that he will compete alongside Terrence in the 60m hurdles at the competition, which begins a week from Friday, March 12-14 in Doha, Qatar.

Liu Xiang has not completed in global competition since his long awaited rematch with T2 at the 2008 Beijing Olympics was diffused when both runners were forced to withdraw from competition because of leg injuries.

Terrence got a measure of revenge in Liu Xiang's first race back when TT outran Liu, in his home country of China, with a time of 13.15 at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix last September.

But with more time to recover from his surgery, Liu Xiang feels he is ready for the challenge.

"Dayron (Robles) and Terrence (Trammell) are very competitive," he said. "I will be happy to make the final."

Of course Liu may be facing the best T2 that he has ever gone up against. Terrence has won the 60m hurdles at each of the first four meets he has competed in this year and has improved his time in each of those competitions.

Terrence set the pace last week at the USA Indoor Championships with a time of 7.41, his best in the 60m hurdles this year. That same week, Liu Xiang clocked an 8.05 in a test run in China. With a time like that, T2 will be sure to leave Liu Xiang in his dust in Doha. Terrence will be looking at the Worlds as a shot at atonement, as noted in an IAAF news release:

"Doha maybe too soon for Liu Xiang to recover his full potential especially considering the quality of his opponents led by World 110m Hurdles record holder Dayron Robles and 2010 world indoor season leader Terrence Trammell who both look to next week’s championships as redemption time.

Trammell, for his part, will aim at matching his compatriot Allen Johnson’s hat trick of World Indoor titles following his wins in 2001 and 2006. Trammell famously won two Olympic and three World Championships silver medals but his recent form shows that he will not settle for silver this time around."

The IAAF World Indoor Championships commence March 12-14 in Doha, Qatar.

RELATED STORIES
Liu Xiang to defend world indoor title in Doha (IAAF, March 2, 2010)
http://www.iaaf.org/WIC10/news/kind=100/newsid=55738.html

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