Shanghai: Robles hails China’s post-Liu generation

Robles has good memories of his last appearance here at the end of September 2007 when he beat China’s great hero and superstar, Lui Xiang, then world champion and world record holder. Five days earlier the Cuban had clocked 12.92 in Stuttgart to lower his Central American record, and the following year he broke Lui’s world mark before returning to China to clinch Olympic gold in Beijing as injury wrecked Lui’s Games and broke his nation’s heart. Seven years on, Lui is sidelined again, while Robles is back in Shanghai seeking to rebuild his own career after a 2013 season troubled by injury and unresolved arguments with his national federation which prevented him competing at the Moscow World Championships last summer. That process will start on Sunday when the 27-year-old lines up against current world champion David Oliver, Moscow silver medallist Ryan Wilson, plus Chinese hopes Xie Wenjun and Jiang Fan for the final event of the Shanghai programme.

“I haven’t been here for seven years, since before the Beijing Games, so I am very happy to be back in China,” said Robles. “The new generation in China are very good. They have followed Lui Xiang’s example and are now top athletes themselves. “It’s very good for the event to have top athletes from lots of countries, and good for me too because I have to work hard to stay at the top.”

Robles was speaking at a press conference in the Shanghai Stadium which also featured Wilson and Xie who, it turned out, had both been present for Robles’ race in September 2007 – Wilson competing (he finished seventh), and Xie watching from the stands as an enthralled 16-year-old. “In 2007 I watched Dayron’s race in Shanghai,” said Xie, now 23. “I had just started professional training back then, so seven years later to know I can compete with him at the same meeting is a great privilege for me.” Xie produced his personal best of 13.28 at this meeting last year when he was third, just a fraction behind Wilson in second and Jason Richardson. He went on to win China’s National Games last September after competing for his country at the Moscow World Championships, but believes he could do even better this time. “As I am at home, I hope that will give me an advantage,” he said.

Robles’s aim meanwhile, is to return to the sort of consistency that made him the top sprint hurdler in the world from 2008 to 2010. He shrugged off any thoughts of regaining the world record, claiming his target for now is to overcome the frustrations of 2013. “Right now I feel very good because I am happy with my training,” he said. “When you train well you have a chance to compete well. “Now, in every race I want to concentrate on my rhythm, to finish in the top two or three in every competition. Then I will have a chance to get a good result. "I can’t think about the record right now. You can only do that when everything is 100 per cent. I need to focus 100 per cent on myself, after that anything is possible. “For me now to recover my form I need to be strong in every race, at every Diamond League and every Grand Prix, so I am up there competing with the likes of Ryan, Oliver, Aries Merritt, and Xie.”

Robles also dismissed rumours that he had considered retiring from the sport during his dispute with the Cuban federation. “Last year was very complicated because I had big problems,” he admitted. “I lacked motivation because I had problems with my federation in Cuba. But I never said I would retire, only that I wouldn’t compete for the national team. “I want to stay in the sport until I am 35 or 36. I want to be like Kim Collins who is still running fast at 38. I won’t stay with my national team but I am positive and ready for good results in the future.” As for whether he will compete at next year’s World Championships in Beijing, Robles said: “I don’t know. I want to, but I can’t say I will go because it’s up to the Cuban federation.” However, he does think that Liu will return and they will compete again, despite the Chinese hurdler’s absence from the sport for nearly two years. “I think we’ll have a chance to renew our rivalry, yes,” said Robles. “He is a very good athlete. It’s very important for our event that all athletes compete, young and old – not just Liu, but the new generation too – to keep the level of competition high. “So I feel Lui will return and the others will also be there. It makes for good theatre.”

Wilson will be part of the theatre on Sunday, along with Oliver, Xie and Robles, plus world bronze medallist Sergey Shubenkov and 2009 world champion Ryan Brathwaite. “I get the opportunity to race against these guys a lot and I’m happy that they’re here to make this a great competition,” said Wilson. “When we have a field like this it makes the athletes more excited to go out and perform well. Having such great talent together gives us the opportunity to compete at a high level and run fast.”