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Veteran hurdler Johnson to race returning Liu

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-09-15 20:30

BEIJING - Former Olympic and world champion Allen Johnson will face Liu Xiang when the high-profile Chinese athlete makes his long-awaited return to action at this weekend's Shanghai Golden Grand Prix, organisers said on Tuesday.

Related readings:  Liu Xiang plays down Shanghai comeback  China's Liu Xiang to make comeback at Grand Prix  Liu Xiang leaps into new history text  Hurdler Liu Xiang is recovering

The 38-year-old American dominated the 110m hurdles in the late 1990s and early part of this century, although his best performance this year is 13.42 seconds, half a second slower than his personal best set in 1996.

Liu, who makes his return after 13 months out through injury, became China's favourite athlete after winning gold at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, a victory made possible in part by the then dominant Johnson's fall in the heats.

Also a former world champion, Liu will be up against more familiar American rivals in Terrence Trammell and David Oliver.