SHANGHAI, Sept 27, 2007 (AFP) - Some of the world's top athletes wind down their seasons in a swing through Asia in the coming week, with China's Liu Xiang making his first appearance on home soil since the world championships.

A host of star names will appear at the IAAF-sanctioned Golden Grand Prix here on Friday before heading to Japan for the Seiko Super Track and Field meet in Yokohama on Sunday before ending up at Daegu in South Korea next Wednesday.

World champions Tyson Gay, Jeremy Wariner and Kenenisa Bekele will all compete in Shanghai, as will pole vault world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva and sprint queen Veronica Campbell.

The fastest man on earth, Jamaica's Asafa Powell, also runs, but has opted to compete in the 200m and so will miss a showdown with American Gay, who beat him to the 100m world title in Osaka last month.

The top draw for fans in China is superstar Shanghai native Liu, the world and Olympic 110m hurdles champion who is sure to receive a rapturous reception.

But he warned a home victory was not guaranteed.

"It is getting very competitive because a younger generation is starting to come through and challenge us," he said.

His main threats here will be veteran American Allen Johnson, Cuba's Dayron Robles and Chinese teammate Shi Dongpeng in a race sure to draw big crowds to the Shanghai University Town Stadium.

"We are in Liu's home town and 99 percent of the people will support him. They are expecting a fantastic show," said Robles, who narrowly missed the medals at the worlds in Osaka and is one of the new generation Liu is watching.

"I want to achieve what Liu has achieved," he added."

American Kerron Clement, who stormed to a surprise gold in the men's 400m hurdles at the world championships, will be compatriot Wariner's chief threat in the 400m flat here.

Ethiopia's Bekele, the 10,000m world champion and world record holder, runs the 1,500m here where he will be up against a host of Kenyans, including Brimin Kipruto and Daniel Kipchirchir Komen.

Isinbayeva, who shared the one million dollar Golden League jackpot with American 400m runner Sanya Richards this month, faces her Russian teammates Svetlana Feofanova and Tatiana Polnova, among others.

"I hope to break the world record in 2008. I know it's coming," said the world, Olympic and European champion, adding that victory was all that mattered on Friday.

"There are lots of excellent athletes in this field, many of whom are unknown to many people."

The chief threat for Campbell in the women's 100m will be American pair Lauryn Williams and Carmelita Jeter.

Other athletes making an appearance include women's world 400m hurdles champion Jana Rawlinson of Australia and men's long jump world title holder Irving Saladino from Panama.

The circus moves to Yokohama on Sunday where Japan's Olympic hammer-throw champion Koji Murofushi, who failed to make the medals at the world championships last month, is the big drawcard.

He will be up against defending world champion Ivan Tikhon of Belarus.

Gay and Powell are also confirmed for Yokohama, but have again opted not to run against each other.