OSTRAVA (Czech Republic), June 13: Cuban Dayron Robles broke China’s Olympic and world champion Liu Xiang’s 110 metres hurdles record on Thursday two months before the Beijing Olympics.

Robles, who has set seven of the eight fastest indoor times this year, clocked 12.87 seconds at the Ostrava grand prix. Liu set the previous mark of 12.88 in Lausanne two years ago.

Running in just his third outdoor race of the season, the 21-year-old Cuban held a commanding lead by the fourth hurdle and never looked like being headed.

“It is such a good time. I did not expect that,” Robles, whose previous best was 12.92 from last year, told reporters.

For nearly two minutes the scoreboard clock read 12.88, before finally being adjusted to the correct time. “When I saw the .87, I just went crazy.” “I can’t explain if it was a perfect race,” said Robles. “But I think I can run faster.”

Liu, 24, the home nation’s favourite for a men’s athletics medal in Beijing, was disqualified for a false start at the Prefontaine Classic in the United States at the weekend.

He has been suffering from a tight hamstring which forced him to withdraw from the Reebok Grand Prix in the previous week.

Robles said that his record should not be considered a challenge to Liu.

“He doesn’t need to be motivated by me and my performance, but because the Olympics are in China and he’s the Olympic champion.”

The meeting opened with another world record in the women’s One Hour Run. Dire Tune of Ethiopia covered 18,517 metres in 60 minutes, adding 177m to the previous record of 18,340 set by Kenyan Tegla Loroupe 10 years ago in Borgholzhausen, Germany.

In his first race since breaking the world 100 metre record 12 days ago, Jamaican Usain Bolt won the 200 metres in 19.83 seconds, the fastest in the world this year.

Blanka Vlasic of Croatia won the high jump with a first attempt world leading 2.05 metre leap, and again took three attempts at a would-be world record of 2.10. It was the 24-year-old world champion’s 27th consecutive win, the longest streak in the sport.

Six days after breaking the world record in the 5000 metres, Tirunesh Dibaba won the 10,000 metres in 31:03.37, a performance which should suffice to ensure selection to the Ethiopian Olympic team in the event.

—Reuters