Athletes

China’s Liu Xiang is arguably the most popular sports star in the world even after his unfortunate Achilles injury at the Beijing Olympics.

The only child of a truck driver and a waitress, Xiang will be just 25 this summer. He has, however, packed a lot into his athletics career.

As far back as 2001 this high jumper-turned-110m hurdler was producing world-class performances, including a gold medal at the World University Games in Beijing, an outstanding feat for an 18-year-old. One year later he set a world junior record — 13.12 — and in 2003 he won a bronze medal at the senior World Championships.

But it was in 2004 that he gained superstar status, winning the Olympic title by a huge margin and equalling Colin Jackson’s 11-year-old world record — 12.91 — in the process.

Xiang had to settle for silver at the 2005 World Championships, but he was in flying form in 2006 and reduced the world record to 12.88.

He then took gold at the 2007 World Championships and became the first Chinese athlete to achieve the ‘triple crown’: Olympic champion, world champion, world record-holder.

Faced with unbelievable pressure at the 2008 Olympics, Xiang tried to get his 110m hurdle heat underway but after one false start had to retire with an Achilles injury. Athletics fans around the world gasped as the man the whole Chinese nation were expecting to win gold limped away from the Olympics.

Xiang has vowed to be back in 2009, so the World Championships in Berlin look like his next date with destiny.

Interview

There is no interview for Liu Xiang at the moment. We're hoping to catch up with him soon.