110 meters hurdles sprinter Liu Xiang, China's Olympic hope, clocked a time of 13.31 seconds to snatch the gold medal in his event at the county's fifth City Games Saturday.

"He was capable of breaking his best record today, but he was not excited enough since there were no hard rivals," Liu's coach Sun Haiping told Xinhua after the competition. The city games, originally called national junior games, was a sports gala for China's sportsman under the age of 20.

The 20-year-old Liu was the world junior and Asian record holder and his best record is 13.12 seconds. At the ninth world athletics championships held in Paris two months ago, he clocked 13.23 seconds, ranking the third after American Allen Johnson and Terrence Trammell.

"His performance today was just so so," an official with the Chinese athletics association said with clear disappointment in the tone. The association now has huge expectation on Liu to make a difference in the 2004 Athens Olympics, since the country has long remained lagged behind in the athletic realm.

Liu's name is on the list of man's 200 meters and 4x100 relay in the games. His coach said he wouldn't compete in the 200 meters because "he is too tired and needs rest.

"What's more, he cannot afford any injury. His prime goal is to prepare for the 2004 Olympics," Sun said.

Liu's teammate in the national team Shi Dongpeng, once again, listed behind him with a timing of 13.50 seconds.

"I think I did fine today," Shi said. He clocked 13.55 at the ninth world athletics championships and listed the seventh. The 19- year-old Shi is a close friend of Liu. "But we are friends in life and rivals in competition," he said.

He seemed to be very calm with his defeat. "Liu is stronger than me. I am slower than him in the frequency," the youngster said.

Shi said his plan for the next year is to run into 13.40 seconds. "I have confidence in surpassing Liu Xiang. When? Should be in 2008," he smiled.

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