Liu Xiang of China celebrates setting a new world record in the men's 110-metre race at the IAAF Super Grand Prix athletics meeting in Lausanne July 11, 2006. Liu won the race in a world record time of 12.88 seconds. [Reuters]

"I hope I can defend my Shanghai Grand Prix title this year as the race will be held in my home town. Many locals and friends have high hopes for me," Liu said.

The Olympic champion clocked 12.88 seconds at the Lausanne Grand Prix a week ago, breaking the world record of 12.91 he shared with Colin Jackson. He had equalled the Briton's 1993 record on his way to gold at the Athens Olympics in 2004.

Setting his heart on victory in Shanghai in September will help Liu quickly regain the focus he felt slip after he achieved his world record.

"Could 12.88 seconds be a limit to what humans can achieve? I asked myself this many times after I broke the record," the 23-year-old Shanghai native told a news conference. "Before, I shared the world record with Colin but now I am the world's only one...That made me feel a bit lost in direction after the race."

Liu's coach Sun Haiping said he expects his protege to improve on his record soon.

"Liu still has much more potential to develop and we all expect him to have better times," Sun said.

A deputy coach of the national team warned, however, that Liu must be given space if he is to defend his Olympic title in Beijing in 2008.

"Because of distractions, Liu rarely has good results in domestic competitions," Yu Weili told Xinhua news agency last week.

Liu, however, was adamant he could cope with the pressure of expectations.

"There will always be pressure but I think I can resist all such pressure in my races," he insisted.