SYDNEY (Reuters) – When Australian rower Duncan Free was lying on a Gold Coast road with a shattered femur after being hit by a car less than a year ago, it looked like his dreams of competing in a fifth Olympics were over.

Remarkably, the 38-year-old battled his way back from that injury, albeit without a 2.6cm chunk of his leg, and was looking set to compete for a second Olympic gold medal in London.

Misfortune struck again in February, however, when he sustained a rib fracture and that deprived him of a place in Australia’s “priority” coxless fours boat, relegating him to a fight for a seat in Australia’s pairs boat for London.

The gritty Queenslander clearly likes nothing better than a scrap and this week he will be taking that competitive attitude to the second leg of the World Cup in Switzerland, looking to prove that he is worthy of a place in London.

“That’s the plan, I like to upset people, I like to prove people wrong,” he told Reuters in an interview at Australia’s final team workout before they set off for Europe.

“You know, from the surgeon saying that ‘I don’t think you’ll make it next year’, it’s been quite a turnaround.”

Free, who won gold in the pairs with Drew Ginn in Beijing four years ago, ran his hand over his shaven head as he recalled the road accident that looked to have put an almost insuperable obstacle in his path to London.

SYDNEY, May 24 (Reuters) – When Australian rower Duncan Free was lying on a Gold Coast road with a shattered femur after being hit by a car less than a year ago, it looked like his dreams of competing in a fifth Olympics were over.

Remarkably, the 38-year-old battled his way back from that injury, albeit without a 2.6cm chunk of his leg, and was looking set to compete for a second Olympic gold medal in London.

Misfortune struck again in February, however, when he sustained a rib fracture and that deprived him of a place in Australia’s “priority” coxless fours boat, relegating him to a fight for a seat in Australia’s pairs boat for London.

The gritty Queenslander clearly likes nothing better than a scrap and this week he will be taking that competitive attitude to the second leg of the World Cup in Switzerland, looking to prove that he is worthy of a place in London.

“That’s the plan, I like to upset people, I like to prove people wrong,” he told Reuters in an interview at Australia’s final team workout before they set off for Europe.

“You know, from the surgeon saying that ‘I don’t think you’ll make it next year’, it’s been quite a turnaround.”

Free, who won gold in the pairs with Drew Ginn in Beijing four years ago, ran his hand over his shaven head as he recalled the road accident that looked to have put an almost insuperable obstacle in his path to London.

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Liu Xiang gave his home town a timely reminder of what a fine high hurdler he can be with his fastest race in five years at the Shanghai Diamond League meeting on Saturday. He might live to regret it.

In a flawless 110 metres, the 28-year-old Chinese soared over the hurdles and scampered across the line to beat a quality field in 12.97 seconds – his best time since he ran 12.95 to win world championship gold in August 2007.

Five years of injury-filled anguish have followed that triumph in Osaka and in that time Liu has relinquished the world title, world record and most dramatically the Olympic title when he limped out of the heats in Beijing in 2008.

Liu’s race on Saturday was all the more impressive given the wet and windy conditions and his delight was clear as he cavorted around the track shirtless, accepting the wild applause of 40,000 of his fellow Shanghainese.

“I’ve always been confident, to run under 13 seconds is a great result and I’m very excited,” he told reporters.

“I made no mistakes, the execution went very well from the start to the finish. It was very good.

“Tonight my execution was very, very good. I hope I can keep my form and pay attention to the details so I can perform well in future races.”

SHANGHAI, May 19 (Reuters) – Liu Xiang gave his home town a timely reminder of what a fine high hurdler he can be with his fastest race in five years at the Shanghai Diamond League meeting on Saturday. He might live to regret it.

In a flawless 110 metres, the 28-year-old Chinese soared over the hurdles and scampered across the line to beat a quality field in 12.97 seconds – his best time since he ran 12.95 to win world championship gold in August 2007.

Five years of injury-filled anguish have followed that triumph in Osaka and in that time Liu has relinquished the world title, world record and most dramatically the Olympic title when he limped out of the heats in Beijing in 2008.

Liu’s race on Saturday was all the more impressive given the wet and windy conditions and his delight was clear as he cavorted around the track shirtless, accepting the wild applause of 40,000 of his fellow Shanghainese.

“I’ve always been confident, to run under 13 seconds is a great result and I’m very excited,” he told reporters.

“I made no mistakes, the execution went very well from the start to the finish. It was very good.

“Tonight my execution was very, very good. I hope I can keep my form and pay attention to the details so I can perform well in future races.”

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China’s Liu Xiang lit up a rain-soaked Shanghai Diamond League meeting with the quickest 110 metres hurdles time of the year on Saturday, sprinting to victory in 12.97 seconds to the delight of his home town crowd.

If the former world champion was trying to lower expectations about his chances of regaining the Olympic title he relinquished through injury in Beijing, he went about it in the wrong way in front of more than 40,000 screaming compatriots.

A blistering start put him well clear by the halfway mark and he raced across the line half a metre ahead of American David Oliver (13.13) before ripping off his shirt in delight at the first sub-13 second time of the year.

“I am really happy. I executed well, I ran my own race and wasn’t thinking about the others. I just did what I had to do and I won,” the 28-year-old told reporters.

“The crowd came out despite the wind and rain and I really enjoyed the atmosphere. I had to put on a fantastic performance for them.”

Former world record holder Asafa Powell won the men’s 100m easing up but he failed to add to his record tally of sub-10 second times when he crossed the line in 10.02 ahead of American Michael Rodgers (10.08).

“I did technically well so I’m happy,” the Jamaican said. “I felt good, it went well but it was raining so I didn’t push too hard.”

SHANGHAI, May 19 (Reuters) – China’s Liu Xiang lit up a rain-soaked Shanghai Diamond League meeting with the quickest 110 metres hurdles time of the year on Saturday, sprinting to victory in 12.97 seconds to the delight of his home town crowd.

If the former world champion was trying to lower expectations about his chances of regaining the Olympic title he relinquished through injury in Beijing, he went about it in the wrong way in front of more than 40,000 screaming compatriots.

A blistering start put him well clear by the halfway mark and he raced across the line half a metre ahead of American David Oliver (13.13) before ripping off his shirt in delight at the first sub-13 second time of the year.

“I am really happy. I executed well, I ran my own race and wasn’t thinking about the others. I just did what I had to do and I won,” the 28-year-old told reporters.

“The crowd came out despite the wind and rain and I really enjoyed the atmosphere. I had to put on a fantastic performance for them.”

Former world record holder Asafa Powell won the men’s 100m easing up but he failed to add to his record tally of sub-10 second times when he crossed the line in 10.02 ahead of American Michael Rodgers (10.08).

“I did technically well so I’m happy,” the Jamaican said. “I felt good, it went well but it was raining so I didn’t push too hard.”

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Asafa Powell thinks he has pinpointed why he has so often failed to produce on the big occasion and believes that if he is at his best he will win the 100 metres at the London Olympics.

The Jamaican former world record holder has run under 10 seconds more times than anyone else in the history of sprinting but has struggled at major championships and been eclipsed by compatriot Usain Bolt.

The 29-year-old runs in the Shanghai Diamond League meeting on Saturday as he continues his preparations for the Games and is convinced if he stays relaxed he can finally snare gold in the blue riband sprint after finishing fifth in 2004 and 2008.

“I know for sure, if I go out there, and I do what I’m supposed to do, it will be very hard for anyone to catch me to the finish line because there’s no doubt that I’m the best starter out there,” he told reporters on Friday.

“Many track and field people know that if I stay relaxed and run my race like I’m supposed to, I will be the winner at the Olympic Games.

“That is what I’m trying to do, and I know what I have to do.”

Powell said that, unlike most sprinters, he raced best when he was “relaxed and smiling all the way” and admitted that the mere presence of Olympic champion Bolt or American Tyson Gay in a race affected his performance.

SHANGHAI, May 18 (Reuters) – Asafa Powell thinks he has pinpointed why he has so often failed to produce on the big occasion and believes that if he is at his best he will win the 100 metres at the London Olympics.

The Jamaican former world record holder has run under 10 seconds more times than anyone else in the history of sprinting but has struggled at major championships and been eclipsed by compatriot Usain Bolt.

The 29-year-old runs in the Shanghai Diamond League meeting on Saturday as he continues his preparations for the Games and is convinced if he stays relaxed he can finally snare gold in the blue riband sprint after finishing fifth in 2004 and 2008.

“I know for sure, if I go out there, and I do what I’m supposed to do, it will be very hard for anyone to catch me to the finish line because there’s no doubt that I’m the best starter out there,” he told reporters on Friday.

“Many track and field people know that if I stay relaxed and run my race like I’m supposed to, I will be the winner at the Olympic Games.

“That is what I’m trying to do, and I know what I have to do.”

Powell said that, unlike most sprinters, he raced best when he was “relaxed and smiling all the way” and admitted that the mere presence of Olympic champion Bolt or American Tyson Gay in a race affected his performance.

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Kenenisa Bekele feels he has nothing left to prove after a spectacular running career but still fully intends to defend his Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 metres titles in London later this year.

The Ethiopian will be gunning for an unprecedented third successive 10,000 metres gold in London in a feat that was beyond middle distance greats Paavo Nurmi, Emile Zatopek, Lasse Viren and Haile Gebrselassie, who all won it twice.

Three years of struggling with calf and knee injuries have dented Bekele’s aura of invincibility, however, and in the 5,000 metres at Saturday’s Shanghai Diamond League meeting, qualification for London rather than dominance is on his mind.

His first outing on the track this year at the Diamond League opener in Doha last week ended with a disappointing seventh place in the 3,000 metres and he is hoping for better in China.

“I’m feeling good, I’m trying to reach my best shape, to get get back to my best level like before,” he told Reuters in an interview on Friday.

“I’m feeling well, I’m feeling happy. I’m healthy. I’m getting better, it was a long time injured and it’s not easy. I’m trying to get back to a good level.”

After pulling up injured in the 10,000m at the world championships in Daegu last year – the first time he had lost a race at the distance – Bekele withdrew from the defence of his 5,000m title.

SHANGHAI, May 18 (Reuters) – Kenenisa Bekele feels he has nothing left to prove after a spectacular running career but still fully intends to defend his Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 metres titles in London later this year.

The Ethiopian will be gunning for an unprecedented third successive 10,000 metres gold in London in a feat that was beyond middle distance greats Paavo Nurmi, Emile Zatopek, Lasse Viren and Haile Gebrselassie, who all won it twice.

Three years of struggling with calf and knee injuries have dented Bekele’s aura of invincibility, however, and in the 5,000 metres at Saturday’s Shanghai Diamond League meeting, qualification for London rather than dominance is on his mind.

His first outing on the track this year at the Diamond League opener in Doha last week ended with a disappointing seventh place in the 3,000 metres and he is hoping for better in China.

“I’m feeling good, I’m trying to reach my best shape, to get get back to my best level like before,” he told Reuters in an interview on Friday.

“I’m feeling well, I’m feeling happy. I’m healthy. I’m getting better, it was a long time injured and it’s not easy. I’m trying to get back to a good level.”

After pulling up injured in the 10,000m at the world championships in Daegu last year – the first time he had lost a race at the distance – Bekele withdrew from the defence of his 5,000m title.