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Day 5 roundup: Liu Xiang-mania sweeps Macao
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-11-03 09:15
MACAO, November 2 (Xinhua) -- Liu Xiang's coach pled on a television network on Wednesday, asking overzealous supporters to leave the Olympic champion alone.
Liu's gold medal in the 110m hurdles was one of 26 won by China on Wednesday at the East Asian Games (EAG).
China remains a runaway leader with 74 golds, with Japan in a distant second place with 10, one over arch rival South Korea.
The 22-year-old Liu defended his EAG title in 13.21 seconds, beating teammate Shi Dongpeng (13.36) and Japan's Kota Kumamoto ( 13.89).
Liu became one of China's biggest celebrities when he tied the world record of 12.91 seconds and won the gold medal in the Athens Olympics last year.
Liu soon felt the weight of being famous.
"We are very grateful to our supporters," Liu's mentor Sun Haiping said on Macao's television TDM. "But overzealous fans disrupt his training and distract him from the ultimate goal: the 2008 Olympic Games.
"So, please, please let him do his job."
Spectators in the Macao Stadium looked on races indifferently until Liu showed up. Girls shrieked when the big screen flashed a shot of Liu taking off his trousers.
Liu cleared all the hurdles smoothly and slowed at the finish.
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