BIRMINGHAM, England (AP)

Hurdler Aries Merritt has stepped up his performance simply by taking out a step.

He once utilised an eight-step approach to the first hurdle, causing him to tap the brakes to get over it. By cutting out one small shuffle, Merritt is keeping his initial momentum out of the starting blocks.

And with it, gathering a wave of momentum entering the London Games where he may just be the favourite. That's saying something in a 110-metre hurdles field that includes reigning champion and record holder Dayron Robles of Cuba, 2004 Olympic gold medallist Liu Xiang of China and world champion Jason Richardson.

Merritt turned in a world-leading time of 12.93 seconds at US trials last month. He then followed it up by running the same time at a meet in London and another in Monaco.

Despite having the three top times this season, he doesn't consider himself the favourite.

As for pressure, Merritt insists he has none at all.

"I don't have anything to prove," said Merritt, who turns 27 today. "I'm not a reigning Olympic champion or a former Olympic champion. I don't have a record or a former world record.

"But if I do what I've been doing all season, something special will happen."

Back in December, Merritt made the decision to eliminate a step, a risky move so close to London. But within a few months, he had his timing down.

Now, he takes a total of 51 steps to complete the hurdles.

To him, that's an ideal number.

"It was something that had to be done if I was going to compete with Liu and Dayron," Merritt said. "I had to make a change. It's worked out for the best."