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Peter Simpson

Coach says injury is only concern before Olympics
Track and field success means more  than  family, the coach of Chinese gold-medal hurdling sensation Liu Xiang said yesterday.
Sun Haiping, who has the task of ensuring Liu is in top condition to win gold  at next year's Beijing Olympics, revealed he felt  a father's devotion towards the 110 metres hurdles star - and favoured him over his own flesh and blood.
'I regard Liu as my son, and I don't even care about my own daughter as much as I do for him,' Sun told  state media in Beijing yesterday.
His daughter, Sun Yihua, is a 21-year  student with the more modest sporting ambition of hoping  to gain a place on the Olympic torch relay team when it passes through Shanghai next year.
But if Yihua and the rest of the Sun family  expect the highly successful coach to spend more time at home after next summer's Games, they  need to brace themselves for disappointment.
Sun also revealed Liu, the 24-year-old Olympic champion and world-record holder,  'has no plans to retire and may compete at the 2012 Olympic Games in London'.
As a member of the Communist Party, Sun is in Beijing attending the Party Congress.
However, he left strict instructions for a rigorous training programme in his absence. And Sun has been darting in and out of Great Hall of the People to make calls to Liu at his training base in Shanghai, according to the China Daily.
Though Liu was training hard and 'was stronger now than in previous years', it was difficult to predict if he would break the record again, Sun said.
The dynamic duo had a major scare just before Liu won the world title in August in Osaka, Japan.
'His condition was very bad,' Sun said. 'For three days before the race he was on an intravenous drip because his health was very poor.'
Liu, who was suffering from flu, came from behind to win a scrappy race in 12.95 seconds, knocking over the second-last hurdle and glancing across at American Terrence Trammell at the line.
'After the world championships he almost had a physical collapse,' Sun said, adding that Liu was now training freely and had recovered his health. The only thing Sun fears before the August 8-24 Olympic Games is injury or ill health.
'Sport is unpredictable; weather and an athlete's condition all contribute to a result. It's about strength and luck,' he added.
'I tell Liu to forget about all the [past] achievements and to start from scratch. For a champion, competing like it's the first time is more positive than trying to hold on to your position.'
Liu shot to national stardom and became a poster boy when he won gold in a world record-tying time at the 2004 Athens Olympics. And he later topped that by setting a new, and as yet unbroken, 110m mark of 12.88 seconds.
Sun admitted the pair feel 'immense pressure' because of soaring expectations - and was now concerned this may push his athlete too hard and cause injury, something Liu has avoided so far despite his punishing sporting, business and social schedule.The tension increased when  President Hu Jintao appealed for the success of the 2008 Olympic Games during his  speech at the 17th National Congress.
'Liu might become injured if we continue to explore his potential [too far]. This is what I am worried about most,' Sun said, adding that a 24-hour medical support team had been formed to tend to one of China's most important medal hopes in case of emergency.
Despite his paternal leanings towards his protege, he denied ever banning Liu from courting a girl.
'I will never be against him having a girlfriend,' he said. 'But what I would like to suggest is that he doesn't find one now, while he still faces so much [pressure].'
Priority treatment
Hours a day coach Sun Haiping (pictured) insists a medical team is on hand to support Liu Xiang: 24



Liu 'more important than my family'