Dayron Robles and David Oliver wish to continue their rivalry – Athletics news
Dayron Robles, the track and field athlete from Cuba, who specialises in 110m hurdles races, is not afraid of challenging his formidable rivals Liu Xiang and David Oliver. Rather, he is keen towards encountering them at the World Championships.
Liu Xiang, the former world champion and Olympic title holder from China, who is also considered among the unbeatable athletes of hurdling discipline, will only get one chance to face Robles at Daegu. However, Oliver, the American player, who was sitting
on the left of the Cuban star during the press conference ahead of the London Aviva Grand Prix, also seemed happy over facing the traditional rival on the London track.
Oliver, the 29-year-old American hurdling athlete has clocked a fastest finish this year over the distance. However, Robles, the world record holder, beat him in last month’s Samsung Diamond League competition. Now, in London, both runners will strive for
marking their dominance over each other.
Speaking in this context, the Cuban star said, “I’ve had a great rivalry over a few years now with David, and there is also a great rivalry with Liu Xiang. I feel like it is continuing the tradition of hurdlers in the past like Allen Johnson, Roger Kingdom
and Colin Jackson.”
Cherishing this rivalry, Oliver also wished to continue with it. Responding to a question about having an easy life without his Chinese and Cuban rivals, the American said, “No, Americans really like to go against the best always, no short cuts.”
On the other hand, the Somalia-born British track and field athlete, Mo Farah, who is at the top of the 5,000m and 10,000m ranking this year, is still not sure of which category he will be running in, at the World Championships. However, there have been
reports that the 28-year-old has chosen to go for the longer distance.
According to the runner, the options were still open and there was an open choice for him to run in both categories, just like he did in the last championships where he ended up winning both the titles. Giving a hint towards what he was going to prefer among
both events, Farah said, “I want to give the 10,000 metres 110 per cent and then see how my legs feel afterwards. But if I feel good I can still do the 5000 metres.”
Talking about the run in London, where he is appearing in a 3000m competition, Farah, who is presently living in Portland and being trained by veteran coach, Alberto Salazar, said that it was good to have some change. Running for a shorter distance will
definitely not make him tired before the Daegu event and a success in an international event will definitely add up to his confidence for running at the global athletics event.
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