Liu headlines at Prefontaine grand prix

EUGENE, United States - World record holder, Olympic champion and 2006 Prefontaine winner Liu Xiang of China headlines a talented 110m hurdles field at the Prefontaine Classic grand prix athletics meeting Sunday.

Xiang Liu, left, from China, is interviewed in Eugene, Ore., Saturday, June 9, 2007. Liu, holder of the world record in the 110-meter hurdles, will compete in Sunday's Prefontaine Classic track and field meet in Eugene. [AP]

Liu arrives in Eugene fresh from a world-leading 12.92sec victory at New York last weekend.

He will face one of his role models, three-time world outdoor champion and 1996 Olympic gold medalist Allen Johnson, as well as Ladji Doucoure of France - runner-up to Liu here last year - and American record holder Dominique Arnold.

The women's 100m hurdles also boasts a strong field, featuring Michelle Perry and Ginnie Powell. Perry, winner here last year, has been ranked No. 1 in the world the last two years, while Powell owns the fastest time in the world this year of 12.45sec last week at the Reebok Grand Prix.

The men's 200m boasts a star-studded field that includes 100m world record-holder Asafa Powell of Jamaica and world and Olympic 400m champion Jeremy Wariner of the United States.

They will be testing themselves against the best 200m runners in the world, including Olympic 200m gold medallist Shawn Crawford and Xavier Carter, whose 2006 world leading time of 19.63sec was the second-fastest in history.

Wallace Spearmon, who clocked a 19.65 last year, posted the second-fastest time of 2007 with a 19.82 in New York last week.

The women's 400m will see Sanya Richards return to the track after her early season was disrupted by illness and injury. Richards, 22, ran under 50 seconds nine times last year.

She will be challenged by Shericka Williams, Dee Dee Trotter, Monique Henderson and Ana Guevara.

With Wariner running the 200m, Gary Kikaya of Congo heads a men's 400m field that also includes LaShawn Merritt, Michael Blackwood, Alleyne Francique and Tyler Christopher.

The Bowerman Mile will feature Kenyan-born American Bernard Legat, the winner last year, and Kenyan Alex Kipchirchir.

American Alan Webb was initally slated to run, but instead will race the two-mile, where he will face brothers Kenenisa and Tariku Bekele.