VALENCIA, Spain (AP) -- Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang and Russian pole-vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva showed they should be among the star names at this year's Beijing Olympics with standout performances at the World Indoor Championships on Saturday.

Olympic 110m champion Liu won his first 60m hurdles competition of the season, dominating from the heats to the final for his first gold medal at the showpiece.

Dayron Robles did not keep his part of the bargain in the most touted event of the three-day championships. The Cuban was eliminated in the heats when he wrongly assumed a false start.

Liu made sure the event was not a letdown. Despite a slow start, he moved into the lead halfway through the race to win in 7.46 seconds. American veteran and triple indoor champion Allen Johnson took silver in 7.55.

When Liu crossed the line, he broke into a boyish grin and held up his index finger to show who will be the man to beat in Beijing.