Liu Xiang of China takes a hurdle during his men's 110m hurdles Round 1 heat in the athletics competition at the Asian Games in Guangzhou on Monday. Philippe Lopez / Agence France-Presse

Liu Xiang qualified first for the 110-meter hurdles final at the Asian Games on Monday, as the former world record holder asserted his form before a home audience two years after a shock withdrawal from the Beijing Olympics.

Chinese athletes also shined elsewhere on the second day of the athletics competition, with 25-year-old Lao Yi taking the country's first men's 100-meter title after Asian record holder Samuel Francis of Qatar was disqualified in the semifinals for a false start.

Olympic bronze medalist Zhang Wenxiu defended her women's hammer throw title with a toss of 72.84 meters, and Yang Yansheng prevailed in the men's pole vault by clearing 5.5 meters.

After winning three of the six golds on offer on Monday night, China climbed to the top of the athletics medals table with five.

Japan's Chisato Fukushima won the women's 100, while 19-year-old Qatari Femi Seun Ogunode and Kazakhstan's Olga Tereshkova won the 400 races, with the teenager posting a personal best of 45.12 seconds and the Kazakh an Asian season-best of 51.97.

But the focal point of the night was Liu, the 27-year-old hurdler who became a Chinese track superstar after clinching gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics. The former world record holder is trying to rehabilitate his form and reputation after disappointing a nation by pulling out of the heats at the 2008 Beijing Games with a right foot injury.

Local fans who flocked to the 80,000-seat Aoti Main Stadium cheered loudly when Liu was introduced - although the arena was just half-full, with many seats in the upper stands empty. The announcer showered him with superlatives like "China's hero" and "the king".

After easily winning his heat and qualifying first by clocking 13.48 seconds, Liu stuck out his tongue and wagged his finger at the camera.

"I feel good today," he said. "I was relaxed at the finishing line. My position isn't that important. It's OK as long as I make the final. I'm here to enjoy the atmosphere."

The comments were consistent with Liu's recent approach of managing expectations when he is far from the peak condition that saw him set an Asian and world record of 12.88 seconds in July 2006, a time later eclipsed by Cuba's Dayron Robles in 2008.

His right Achilles' tendon still bothers him despite surgery two years ago and has continued to hold back his performance. Earlier this year, he only managed a seventh-place finish at the world indoor championships in March in the 60m hurdles and bronze at the Diamond League meet in Shanghai in May, where he clocked 13.40. His foot injury forced him to drop out of the Osaka Grand Prix in May.

Liu said on Monday he aims to improve his time to 13.20 in Wednesday's final. "I'll try my best," he said.

Liu's main rival for gold, China teammate Shi Dongpeng, placed second in the second heat, qualifying fourth overall with a time of 13.89 seconds behind Saudi Arabia's Ahmed Khader A. Almuwallad (13.69) and Korea's Park Tae-kyong (13.68).

Lao finished the 100 meters in 10.24 seconds, narrowly edging Saudi Arabia's Yasir Baalghayth A. Alnashri by 0.02 seconds. Oman's Barakat Al Harthi was third after clocking 10.28. The home crowd congratulated him with a unified chant of "hou ye" - or "way to go" - in the southern Cantonese dialect.

The Chinese sprinter was relieved about finally overcoming a recent series of injuries.