Robles targets perfect indoor season, wants world record too

By Gary Smith — Caribbean Net News

SANTA CLARA, Cuba: Cuba’s Olympic 110m hurdles champion and world record holder Dayron Robles says he will be targeting a perfect 2009 indoor season, as he bids to break the 60m hurdles world record.

The 21-year-old had a remarkable 2008 indoor season, collecting nine of the 11 fastest times before his only glitch came at the World Indoors where a mix up at the start saw him failing to challenge for the gold medal.

He, however, finished the term with a personal best of 7.33 seconds, the second fastest ever to Britain’s Colin Jackson’s 7.30 seconds.

This season Robles plans to run at six to seven indoor meeting in Europe and he is hoping to go perfect.

"I will be trying for a perfect tour and to break the world record," the Olympic champion told Periodico26. "After that comes the outdoor world championships in August in Germany, where we’ll see what happens. "

I’m always trying to do better, I don’t know any limit," he added.

Robles, who broke Chinese arch rival Liu Xiang’s 110m hurdles world record when he ran 12.87secs in Ostrava, said removing the previous mark of 12.88sec was even more highlighting than winning the Olympic gold medal.

"Contrary to what many believe, it wasn’t winning the Olympic gold medal, but instead the day I set the world record in Ostrava," he said.

Since winning a surprise silver medal at the world indoor championships in 2006, Robles has quickly become a superstar in the sport. But despite being one of the sport celebrities, the Cuban still tries to live a normal day.

"I don’t think I’m something special because I’m an Olympic champion," he explained. "I try not to feel famous and, even though I am, I try to live a normal life.”

The Olympic champion, who ran seven of the nine sub 13-seconds times in the 110m hurdles in 2008, is the front runner to be selected Cuba’s best athlete for the year.