2008 Beijing Summer Olympics: Cuban Olympian Dayron Robles Shares his Impressions on Men's 110 Meters Hurdles Gold Medal at 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics | iHaveNet

Cuba's Dayron Robles says it would have been a more emotional victory had China's Liu Xiang been in the race.

Robles claimed Olympic gold in the 110m hurdles in Beijing. The 110-meters hurdles event took place without former World record holder and Athens 2004 Summer Olympics Gold Medalist Liu Xiang who pulled out due to injury.

Robles went on to comfortably win the gold medal, posting a time of 12.93 seconds in the Men's 110-meter hurdles final.

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

 

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 Winning Men's 110-meter hurdles Gold Medal at 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Summer Olympics - Cuban Dayron Robles Men's 110 Meters Hurdles Gold Medalist 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics

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