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Heartbreak for China as Liu pulls out

Special Correspondent

— PHOTO: AP

PAINFUL EXIT: Injured Liu Xiang pulled out of the men’s 110m hurdles leaving his fans in stunned silence.

BEIJING: Liu Xiang did not reach the first hurdle — physically and figuratively. The defending 110m hurdles champion and China’s hero limped out in pain from an Achilles tendon injury at the Bird’s Nest here on Monday.

As the starter’s gun went off, Liu took a few steps and stopped — even as the rest of the field stopped too, following a false start — removed the number stickers from both his sides and walked out of the arena. He did not start his race.

However, official results put it as DNF (Did Not Finish).

The signs were ominous; Liu was seen grimacing at the starter’s block in pain ahead of the sixth heat, the last race in the morning programme. For the packed stadium that had turned up in the morning to watch the heats, and, needless to say, the whole of the country, it must have been the most heart-breaking moment since the Games began ten days ago.

Big build-up

The 110m hurdles final on August 21 was billed as the ‘race of the Beijing Games’; a showdown between Liu Xiang, the Olympic and World champion, and the new world record holder from Cuba, Dayron Robles. On the build-up to these Games, the big hope among the host was that Liu would defend his gold in front of adoring fans.

Many cried, and the tears continued to roll down Chinese cheeks, when the press conference of Liu’s coach was aired at length on television. The Chinese were understandably unable to digest the fact that their champion did not start the race. One gold less was not a problem; the Chinese have been winning plenty of gold medals, but the absence of their hero evidently hit them pretty hard.

Two injuries

Liu’s coach Sun Haiping explained that two injuries had been troubling the star for some time now. “He has two injures. The one to the leg has been an accumulative injury for years, but it was cured. The major (factor that led to) his withdrawal is his heel injury. Liu’s heel bone protrudes more than usual; and it has developed into a hard bump. Three doctors were on the spot helping him deal with the pain. But whatever step was taken, it proved useless,” said the coach, adding that neither the pain-killer spray nor the icing took effect, as the heel was taking the load.

“After Liu Xiang arrived at the Olympic village on the evening of August 16, he had an MRI scan (that revealed) the problem was at the end of his tendon,” Sun said. “Whenever he stood up, he fell down,” he revealed.

The head coach of the Chinese athletics team, Feng Shouyong, was sympathetic.

“Four years after Athens, his main goal was the Beijing gold. He has worked hard for it. Last Saturday, in training, the injury intensified. After experts and doctors looked at it, his injury eased, and he was confident. This morning while exercising in the warm-up area he felt the pain intensify,” said Feng.

“The injury is in his right foot, on his Achilles tendon. It is his take-off foot. So, there is a lot of stress on that area,” he said.

Liu has been grappling with his other injury, a strained hamstring, all of this season when he competed in only two meets; he was disqualified in a third. He had been training at an unknown venue since returning from the U.S.

“When he went into the stadium, he went in with the greatest and strongest will. He wanted to compete. He couldn’t imagine the pain. Liu Xiang will not withdraw unless the pain is unbearable,” said the head coach.

“I think the Chinese people will understand the situation and will encourage him to come back to the track,” said Feng, who himself was unable to control tears while addressing the media.

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