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At the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, the much anticipated Dayron Robles Liu Xiang showdown in the 110 meters hurdles final never
materialized as Liu was forced to pull out injured in the opening heat due to tendonitis.
Robles went on to comfortably win the gold medal, posting a time of 12.93 seconds in the Men's 110-meter hurdles final.
Americans David Payne (13.17 seconds) and David Oliver (13.18 seconds) took the silver and bronze medals at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics
Cuban Dayron Robles Finishes Ahead of Americans David Payne & David Oliver
At the Golden Spike Ostrava meet (June 12, 2008), the 21-year-old Dayron Robles clocked a time of 12.87 to establish
a new World Record surpassing China's World and Olympic Champion Liu Xiang’s previous time of 12.88.
Dayron Robles Interview on
Winning the Men's 110-meter hurdles Gold Medal at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics
Q1: Talk us through the race?
The race was quite relaxed. I tried to get the best possible start and when I realized that I was half
a step ahead of the field then I really focused on running a race that was going to ensure a gold medal for myself.
Q2: Was it easier without Liu Xiang?
A race is never easy when you have such an amount of world class hurdlers like mine, but I think if
Liu Xiang had have been in the race it would have been more emotional.
Q3: Was it the end of a lot of hard work?
It’s a job that has taken four years to achieve and to be honest it was a huge moment for me. For the
moment it hasn’t really sunk in, I am still really quite relaxed and I sort of feel like I am still focused
on another race.
But these Olympic times have really made a huge impression on me. This is the biggest moment a sportsman
can ever experience.
Q4:Do you feel a responsibility to the Cuban people?
There is always a huge responsibility racing for Cuba. Fans at home really demand the best from us and
they are very knowledgeable and they love following sport but sometimes that can make things tough for us.
Q5: What next for you?
To be honest I just take things as they come. I started very young and already I have had some setbacks
that I have had to overcome and I will continue to learn things in this sporting world and fulfill my
responsibility as an athlete.
Q6: Did you feel a lot of pressure?
The pressure comes from the team around me not from the people back home.
I know I have to win for myself and for the team that has been supporting me firstly. You know I had a
tough time at the last two world championships and so I knew I had to prepare myself to arrive here in the
best possible mental and physical form and that’s exactly what I did.
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