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Walker Liu harbors great expectations

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Overseas training paid great dividends for China's Liu Hong as the defending race walking champion won her second gold medal at the Asian Games in the women's 20km event.

"I'm very happy to defend my Asian Games championship here in Guangzhou. My two Asian Games gold medals provide great encouragement for me," said the 23-year-old Liu.

"My goal is not only to be the Asian champion. I have greater expectations."

Liu, who clocked a season's best 1:30:06 in the race, continued China's monopoly as the team has claimed all the women's 20km race walking gold medals since the event first appeared at the Asian Games in 1986.

Japan's Masumi Fuchise and Liu's teammate, Li Yanfei, settled for silver and bronze, respectively.

Liu emerged as the top walker in Asia when she won the 2006 Doha Asiad competition. She was also the bronze medalist at the 2009 Berlin Worlds.

Before the Guangzhou Games, Liu trained in Italy for about a month and a half, and she considered that experience instrumental in her Guangzhou success.

"The training in Italy was very helpful. The environment for training there is very good and the coach is also instructive," said Liu. "We will go to train there again next February."

She already has her eyes set on next year's World Championships in Daegu, Korea, and the 2012 London Olympics.

"My ultimate goal is to achieve a good result at the London Games," Liu said. "There are important events each year and my next goal is the World Championships."