Athletics: Hurdler Trammell seeks Gold in Doha

Terrence Trammell of the US smiles during a press conference at the Qatari Olympic Committee auditorium ahead of the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Doha yesterday.

China’s Liu Xiang will step back onto the international athletics stage today but the defending 60m hurdles champion will have his work cut out to trouble Dayron Robles and Terrence Trammell.
Injuries and loss of form are a given in athletics, but especially so in such a gruelling event as the hurdles.
However, the Aspire dome in the Qatari capital will be the scene for a showdown of the three multi-medalled hurdlers with all seemingly in good form for the IAAF World Indoor Championships.
Defending champion Liu is set to make his first appearance at a global championship since withdrawing injured from his 110m hurdles heat at the Beijing Olympic Games.
Liu, who underwent an achilles operation in December 2008, has made just one indoor appearance so far, clocking a modest 8.05sec in Shanghai, but Trammell warned Tuesday that the Chinese star should never be under-estimated.
“I know what it’s like to go through personal strife and injury, and it’s great he’s able to overcome that and come back to the competitive stage,” Trammell said of Liu, who also has world indoor silver and bronze to his name.
“His entry is 8.05sec but I know he’s better than that and I expect him to run fast.
“He was the dominant hurdler for quite some time and it’s always good to see a people’s hero come back to form.
“It’s great for our event as well as the championships.”
“Based on the history of the three of us, it’ll be a really good race to see.”
The 31-year-old Trammell, also a two-time Olympic silver medallist (2000, 2004) and three-time world outdoor silver medallist (2003, 2007, 2009) over the 110mH, added that he still had what it took to challenge for gold.
The American was also positive about the new IAAF rule that will see the disqualification of any athlete who false starts.
“I grew up in a sport with no false starts in the (US) collegiate system,” he said of the rule which has for a long time been part of the US college system where most US and Caribbean sprinters cut their teeth.
“It’s good, you just get on with the meeting and the competition. “Really good competitors don’t care about the gun. They start when they want to.”