Liu disqualified due to false start

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-10  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

LIU Xiang felt good enough to race on Sunday, lining up for the 110-meter hurdles at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon.

The starting line was as far as he got.

China's superstar was disqualified with a false start, making him 0-for-2 in America - he entered two races but didn't run in either.

"Not disappointed, just a pity," Liu said. "But it is past already."

Meanwhile, the spotlight at America's biggest track meet was on Maria Mutola, the middle-distance star from Mozambique, who won the 800 meters for the 16th straight year in this, her final appearance at Prefontaine. Mutola kissed the track after the race.

Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele failed to improve his world record in the 10,000, but still finished in 26:25.97, the fourth-fastest ever.

Liu, the defending Olympic gold medalist and current world record holder, was scratched from last week's race in New York with a sore right hamstring and said he would decide at race time on Sunday whether he would compete. And indeed, he was out there on a crystal clear day in Eugene, pacing around, looking ready to go.

When the eight hurdlers first lined up, it was Liu's compatriot, Shi Dongpeng, who got hit with a false start. But the first miscue is charged to all, making the second false start the one that really counts.

It was there that Liu flinched ever so slightly before the gun. Knowing he was gone, he shook his head in frustration, having come all the way to the United States and never getting to compete.

Anwar Moore of the US to win the race in 13.09 seconds.

Liu will head back to China, where his condition will be one of the hottest topics between now and the Beijing Olympics. "It's getting better," Liu said of the hamstring. "Much better than New York."