Winner Liu right on song for third Games crown

Liu Xiang rocked to a song from his own CD collection before wowing the crowd - and inciting a media scramble - as he easily won the men's 110-metres hurdles at the Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground yesterday.

Karaoke-loving Liu warmed up behind the starting blocks to the sound of his own song, To Be The Winner, blaring from the PA system, and the superstar did not disappoint a capacity crowd of 3,500 to win in 13.66 seconds for his third straight East Asian Games gold medal.

Compatriot Ji Wei was a well-beaten second in 13.88, while South Korea's Park Taek-yong took bronze in 14.02, but it was Liu who the crowd wanted to see. The 26-year-old former world and Olympic champion was a relaxed figure as he waved to the crowd and agreed to a string of interview requests at the mixed zone immediately after his victory.

The 2004 Athens gold medallist then met a jam-packed news conference attended by more than 200 reporters and cameramen.

'I am very grateful the crowd supported me,' said Liu, who also won gold medals at the last two East Asian Games in Osaka (2001) and Macau (2005). 'I feel a bit tired. This race is the last for me this year. I'd prepared for it and I am pretty pleased with my performance,' he said.

'Usually the season ends in September or October, but I also competed in the Asian Championships [in November] and now the East Asian Games in December,' he said.

Liu had already set Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground ablaze in his morning heat, which he won comfortably in 14.02 seconds. Returning for the final to thunderous applause and screams from fans, Liu was never troubled in winning gold. He shot to the front at the start and never looked back, opening a huge gap between himself and his rivals before he eased down over the finish line.

Liu's victory inspired his compatriots as China won 10 of the 11 gold medals up for grabs yesterday, including the 100m women's hurdles and the men's 400m.

Liu's coach, Sun Haiping, was also in good spirits as he shared the limelight with his most famous prot?g?, saying he was satisfied with Liu's time despite it being below his best.

The 54-year-old said Liu still had not fully recovered from his Achilles tendon injury sustained before last year's Beijing Olympics and was taking his time to regain full fitness.

'There are still a few little problems with his leg [movement] that we need to iron out, but we are confident he will be feeling 100 per cent and that he can clock faster times,' Sun said.

'Liu took the lead from the start and won comfortably. I am very pleased with his performance. After his surgery [in the US in December 2008], he has been slowly coming back to his best. But he will need more time and he isn't there yet.

'Next year, his targets will be the Asian Games [in Guangzhou] and the World Indoor Championships [in Doha in March],' he said.

Asked if he could regain the world record held by Cuba's Dayron Robles, set in June last year, of 12.87 seconds, Liu said it would not be easy. 'It would be tough, but I am confident that I will eventually clock a sub 13-second time. It's just a matter of time,' he said confidently.