Olympic Champion Liu Xiang Backs Paris 2012
Paris, Mai 27, 2005 – Paris 2012 is pleased to announce that 110m hurdles 2004 Athens Olympic Champion Liu Xiang today declared his support for the French bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012.
During a press conference in Beijing, where he announced his intentions to train in France this summer, after receiving an invitation from the French Athletics Federation, Liu Xiang declared:
“I hope that Paris will organize the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012. I like France and the French capital where I won my first medal at Stade de France during the World Athletics Championships in 2003.”
The trainer of Liu Xiang, Sun Haiping, commented that “our friends in France have offered us a base with first-class training conditions for the coming season”.
Armand de Rendinger, Director of the International Promotion of Paris 2012 has enthusiastically welcomed this announcement:
“We are both delighted and honored that a recognized champion as Liu Xiang supports Paris’ bid. I hope that his stay in Paris will permit him to enjoy the quality of our sports facilities and experience the fantastic public support behind the Paris 2012 bid. Liu Xiang is part of the new generation of athletes who are fostering incredible enthusiasm on the basis of their talent, charisma and desire to achieve the highest performance possible. It is indeed a pleasure to know that Liu Xiang has just added his name to the 300-strong list of world-wide Ambassadors who are defending France’s Olympic dream”.
Also, on the occasion of his visit to France this week, Jonah Lomu, the New Zealand rugby star and former All Blacks great, reiterated his fervent support for Paris 2012. While in Paris and
catching a glimpse of the Paris 2012 candidature slogan he declared: “When we speak about the ‘Love of the Games’ it seems logical that it take place in the city of Love.”
ABOUT LIU XIANG
During the next four months, Liu Xiang, who has been recognized as the “New Comer of the Year” by the Laureaus Academy, will take part in 12 athletics meets, among them the ‘Gaz de France’ at Stade de France Paris 2012 on July 1st and the World Athletics Championships from August 6th to 14th in Helsinki.
After having taken some time off following the Olympic Summer Games in Athens, Liu Xiang, already a co-world record-holder, had a strong showing of 13.12 seconds at a meet on May 8th in Osaka, Japan, the best performance of the year in this discipline.
For further information, please contact:
Paris 2012 Global Media Office
International free phone: +800 2012 2012
Within France, dial 00.800.2012.2012
media@parisjo2012.fr