Robles claims being Cuban cost him hurdles gold
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China.org.cn, Shanghai Daily, September 1, 2011
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Cuba's Daron Robles(R), and China's Liu Xiang clear a gate as they compete in the men's 110m hurdles final at the World Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea, Monday, Aug. 29, 2011. [CFP] |
Cuban hurdler Dayron Robles has claimed he wouldn't have been disqualified from the 110-meter hurdles at the world championships if he came from a more powerful country.
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The ruling meant the gold medal was handed to American Jason Richardson, with Liu second and British athlete Andrew Turner given bronze.
"If I were from another country that had more power, that wouldn't have happened," Robles said.
"It's very controversial that these things happen in an athletics world championships, lamentably it was my turn to lose out," Robles said.
The Cuban, gold medalist in the 110m hurdles in the 2008 Olympics, said jostling was common in his event.
"You can always get hit, you open your arms and there's always contact," he explained. "I've had races where I've collided with (American hurdler David) Oliver, with the same Chinese (Liu), that's normal and all the athletes know it.
"I believe myself to be the champion ... now with this experience, what I've got to try to do is always be in front," he said. "They are things that happen in life and you have to get on with it, the most important thing now is to finish without any injuries, without any health problems, looking toward the Olympic Games that are so close."
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