BOGOTA, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Colombian hurdler Paulo Villar told the country's radio channel Caracol on Sunday that he hopes to be a finalist in the Aug. 24-Sep. 2 World Athletics Championships in Japanese city of Osaka.

"I want to be a finalist and I believe I can do it. I have worked for it and if you set yourself mediocre goals then you will always be mediocre," said the Bogota-born athlete, who has personal bests of 7.61 seconds over 60 meters and 13.29 seconds over 110.

Speaking to press from the Spanish city of Valencia, Villar said that he is impressed with United States athlete Allen Johnson's technique, but said he was not in awe of anyone.

Villar was a guest at a Spanish athletics championship recently and reached the semi-finals alongside his friend Jackson Quinonez, a naturalized-Spaniard born in Ecuador. Both ran the 60 meters hurdles in under 7.68 seconds.

The athlete also told the radio that he is negotiating to join Spanish club Puma Chapin, from Cadiz, possibly as soon as this summer.

"You can only achieve excellence in a technically difficult sport like hurdles if you are prepared to make sacrifices," Villar said, adding that this was especially so in South America, which had only one covered track that can be used in winter.

Villar last competed last week in Valencia and will compete in French capital Paris next week.