Liu Xiang among Chinese athletes to switch training base to Germany 'thanks to London's cold weather'

Hurdler Liu Xiang has gone to train in Germany because London is too cold.

The official China Daily yesterday quoted coach Sun Haiping as saying Liu, China's biggest hope for an athletics gold at London, will train in Germany to get away from the wet and cold weather. The Olympic track competition begins August 3.

Sun says, "Other Chinese teams have also chosen to move their (training) base thanks to London's cold weather, so Liu Xiang is not the only one."

Liu, who won in 2004 at Athens to become the first Chinese man to claim an Olympic athletics gold medal, will compete in London after shocking the home crowd in Beijing four years ago when he had to withdraw before his heat because of an injury.

AP