Olympic high hurdles champion Liu Xiang of China received a blood test early Sunday morning, two days before he runs in the world championships, a top Chinese official said on Sunday.

Yu Weili, technical manager of the Chinese national team, said: "Liu Xiang was asked without knowledge in advance to take a blood test this morning. He has been tested for several times recently."

The 22-year-old Shanghai native, who became the first Asian to win an Olympic gold on track in Athens last year, will taste Helsinki's track for the first time in the Olympic Stadium next Wednesday.

Yu said that Liu feels very good away from home where he was always mobbed by fans and well protected by security guards.

"He is now very stable mentally," Yu said. "I have never seen an athlete as good as him."

Liu, who won the bronze in the Paris world championships in 2003, has not spoken to the press since arriving in Helsinki.

Source: Xinhua