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Liu wins at Prefontaine
CLOSE RACE:
The Chinese champ was pushed by two challengers from the US as Dominique Arnold took the lead in the event until he hit a hurdle and dropped out
AFP, EUGENE, OREGON
Tuesday, Jun 12, 2007, Page 19
World record holder and 2004 Olympic champion Liu Xiang (¼Bµ¾) narrowly beat US hurdler Anwar Moore at the tape to win the 110m hurdles at the Prefontaine Classic track meet on Sunday.
Liu finished in a time of 13.23 seconds, just nipping Moore, who was second in 13.24 in front of a standing-room-only crowd at Hayward Field.
The time was well off Liu's world record of 12.88.
"I am pleased with my time," said Liu, who ran a world-leading 12.92 in New York last weekend. "I didn't think I won it."
Dominque Arnold of the US also challenged the 23-year-old Liu. Arnold led the race until he hit the sixth hurdle, which caused him to stumble and drop out.
Liu cleared the last hurdle, then looked over at Moore before hitting the tape.
"I felt them coming up on me," said Liu, who won China's first men's Olympic athletics gold at Athens in the 110m hurdles.
The 23-year-old Shangahi surprise smashed the world record last July in 12.88 seconds and has three of the 10 best times ever run in the event.
Australia's Craig Mottram ran the sixth fastest time in history to win the two mile (3.2km) race in eight minutes, 03.50 seconds.
After the race Mottram said the world record of 7:58.61 was within his reach.
"The world record is reachable," Mottram said. "I could have done better. I wanted to do better. There is always room for improvement."
Ethiopia's Tariku Bekele was the runner-up in 8:04.83, the eighth-fastest time ever.
Xavier Carter came from behind to win the 200m final, beating a star-studded field that included 100m world record holder Asafa Powell and defending Olympic and world 400m champ Jeremy Wariner.
"There were lots of great runners. I had to have my A game," said Carter, who clocked a 20.23.
US 200m champion Wallace Spearmon was second in 20.25. Powell, who led the race coming off the final turn, was third in 20.55. Wariner finished well back in sixth.
Kenyan Daniel Komen ran the fastest time in the world this year and the fastest ever on US soil to win the men's mile (1.6km) event in 3:48.28.
Two-time Olympic medalist Bernard Lagat was second (3:50.56) in a race that saw nine runners finish under the four-minute barrier.
Former world champion Torri Edwards won the women's 100m in 11:10 while local runner Nick Symmonds delighted the home crowd by charging from fifth place off the final turn to win the 800m in 1:44.54.
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