Athletics: Murofushi, Gatlin, Liu to feature in Osaka Grand Prix

Asian Economic News, April 18, 2005

OSAKA, April 12 Kyodo

Athens Olympic hammer throw champion Koji Murofushi will open his new season at next month's IAAF Grand Prix meet in Osaka, which also features American gold medalist sprinter Justin Gatlin and Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang, organizers said Tuesday.

Murofushi, who was awarded victory in Athens after Hungary's Adrian Annus was disqualified for doping violations, will appear in the May 7 meet at Nagai Stadium along with such Japanese compatriots as sprinter Shingo Suetsugu and 400-meter hurdler Dai Tamesue.

Suetsugu and veteran sprinter Nobuharu Asahara are scheduled to run alongside Gatlin in the men's 100 meters.

Murofushi, Gatlin and Liu, who equalized the world record time of 12.91 seconds in winning the men's 110-meter hurdles in Athens, will be joined by fellow Olympic gold medalists Mack Timothy of the United States (men's pole vault) and Olga Kuzenkova (women's hammer throw).