Olympic 110m Hurdles champion Liu Xiang has announced that he will train in France before the summer's upcoming major international athletics events. He made the announcement during a press conference held on 27 May in the French Cultural Centre in Beijing, China.
Bernard Amsalem, the President of the French Athletics Federation, said he was delighted that Mr. Liu , the Athens 110m-hurdles World Champion , would come to France:
“We are very proud that Liu Xiang accepted our invitation and chose Paris and France as his training ground to prepare for this summer 's major events, and especially the Paris Saint Denis International Athletics Meeting, which will be held on 1 July at the Stade de France. This decision underscores once again the quality of our sporting venues, since Mr. Liu had the opportunity to test them personally during the IAAF 2003 Athletics World Championships in Paris Saint Denis. We will do our best to fulfill his expectations and provide him with the best possible stay during his trip."
Dr. Feng Shuyong, deputy-director of the Chinese Track and Field Association, expressed his own gratitude for the French Track and Field Association's invitation. “This is a cultural and athletic exchange that fittingly falls under the ‘Year of France’ in China. I am certain that this activity between the two countries will enhance the development of the track and field events."