Editor's Note

Liu Xiang suffered a suspected ruptured Achilles tendon as he crashed out of the Olympic Games on Tuesday, a team official confirmed, plunging the Chinese hurdler's future into doubt.

Liu, 29, exited the Games after smashing into the first obstacle of his 110m hurdles heat. Everything seemed to be deja vu when the former world record holder and 2004 Olympic champion withdrew from the 2008 Beijing Games because of a tendon injury in his right foot.

But this time Liu made things different. He hopped over the rest of the distance on his left foot to symbolically finish his race. He also stopped at a hurdle and kissed it, earning a rousing ovation from the 80,000 crowd at the Olympic Stadium.

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Liu Crashes out

1. Warm-up: China's Liu Xiang warms up before men's 110m hurdles heat at London 2012 Olympic Games, London, Britain, August 7, 2012.



2. Liu crashes out:  The combo photo taken on August 7, 2012 shows the consecutive moments of China's Liu Xiang falling during men's 110m hurdles heat at London 2012 Olympic Games, London, Britain. Liu Xiang tumbled and was disqualified for semifinal.

Cause: Feng Shuyong said Liu probably ruptured his Achilles tendon while taking off, and intensive training in the lead-up to the Games should be the major cause of the recurrence of the injury he suffered four years ago.

"The injury is the same one he had in Beijing (2008). In the last several years he received good medical care, but the injury is still there. An Achilles tendon injury is almost impossible to recover fully." Liu was considered as a serious medal contender in London after he came out from the Achilles injury and adopted the seven-step to the first hurdle.

3. Liu limped determinedly down the track toward the finish line
 China's Liu Xiang hops off the track after men's 110m hurdles heat at London 2012 Olympic Games, London, Britain, August 7, 2012.

 

Voices

Chinese athletics team leader Feng Shuyong:

"What Liu Xiang did today reflected the true Olympic spirits. To win is not so important, participation is what matters."

Liu's long-time coach Sun Haiping

"The side stitch has gone. But in Germany, Liu felt pain in the foot where his old injury was. The doctor there said it was not serious. But I don't think so. I want to examine it further in London because I still worry about it," said Sun on August 3 at Heathrow airport.

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt:

"It must be hard for that to happen for the second time in a row. He's a great athlete."  Liu Xiang is a "true champion".

Internet Voices:

Sun Yang, Olympic gold medalist swimmer

@ 孙杨: Liu Xiang kept going even though he was injured, and only after he finished was he taken off the track in a wheelchair. We should all respect athletes like him! I couldn’t help crying when I saw that moment. Over the past four years, Liu Xiang had suffered through many difficulties, and it must have been tough for him. In the future I hope we don’t place so much importance on gold medals. I heard he might have ruptured his Achilles tendon. I hope he recovers soon. Cheer up, Liu Xiang!

Media Reports

	Liu Xiang may have hurt Achilles Liu Xiang slowly, awkwardly made his way alongside the track he was supposed to be racing on Tuesday, forced instead to hop on his good leg while straining to keep his injured one elevated.
	More Olympic heartbreak for Liu Xiang Liu Xiang won the gold medal in the 110-meter hurdles at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, but his most inspiring performance was Tuesday morning in a race he officially did not finish.
	Support and tears in China after Liu Xiang's cruel exit from London 2012 They watched, anguished, and they cried and commiserated — on social media, on the streets of the Chinese capital and, in the case of one anchor, even on state television.
	Nightmare for China's Xiang AGAIN as hurdler falls in heat... but defiantly hops 110m before leaving the track This could be a sad end for Xiang, one of the greatest ever hurdlers, who eventually had to leave the track in a wheelchair.

From Athens                    to London

Note:

1. Athens 2004 Olympic Games

Liu Xiang holds the Olympic record of 12.91 seconds for the 110M hurdles. He set the record and became the first male Chinese track and field athlete to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games in 2004 in Athens.

2. Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

Liu Xiang pulled out of the 2008 Olympic Games because of foot injury.

In the 2011 IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, Lin won a dramatic silver. Later on, he enjoyed an all-win record as he harvested three straight wins at the start of this outdoor season including setting a season fastest time of 12.97 seconds by then in the Shanghai leg of 2012 IAAF Diamond League in May and a wind-aided mark of 12.87 seconds in the Eugene leg early in June.

3. London 2012 Olympic Games

Liu Xiang crashed into the first hurdle in his first round heat of the men's 110m hurdles at the London Olympic Games on August 7.

The 29-year-old Liu injured his right foot and limped off the track, ending his hope to regain Olympic glory in London.

Source: Xinhua