Cuba's Robles, after winning Athens Grand Prix hurdles, set sights on Beijing

(BEIJING, July, 15) -- Dayron Robles of Cuba grabbed his fifth successive title this season in the men's 110-meter hurdles, clocking a meeting record of 13.04 seconds, at the Athens Grand Prix-Tsiklitiria 2008, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) reported on its official website.

Robles was followed in the Athens race by hurdlers David Payne of the USA at 13.27 seconds and by Petr Svoboda of the Czech Republic at 13.42 seconds.

The Athens competition was another race in which the 21-year-old Cuban hurdler was apparently preparing for the Beijing Olympics. Though his performance was not as stunning as the one he gave at a meet in the Czech city of Ostrava on June 12, when he set a new world record at 12.87 seconds, the hurdler put greater pressure on Chinese star Liu Xiang.

Liu, the defending champion of the Athens Olympics and previous 110-meter hurdle record holder, was the first Chinese man to win an Olympic gold medal in track and field. As a national icon in China, Liu is expected to win one more Olympic gold medal this year.

Still battling a sore right hamstring injured during the Reebok Grand Prix in New York early this year, Liu didn't participate in the Athens Grand Prix race.

Looking ahead at the upcoming Olympics, Robles said during an earlier interview published on the IAAF website that he would love to compete with Liu Xiang.

Others rushing for gold in Beijing in the hurdles competitions are Americans David Oliver, Terrence Trammell and David Payne. The United States has been a powerhouse in the men's 110-meter hurdle race, with 10 Olympic gold medals since World War II.