CHINA: LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS: ATHLETICS: Fans in China sympathetic after star hurdler Liu Xiang crashes out of the Olympic Games
Record ID:
1374167
CHINA: LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS: ATHLETICS: Fans in China sympathetic after star hurdler Liu Xiang crashes out of the Olympic Games
- Title: CHINA: LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS: ATHLETICS: Fans in China sympathetic after star hurdler Liu Xiang crashes out of the Olympic Games
- Date: 7th August 2012
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (AUGUST 7, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING ON THE STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 21-YEAR-OLD UNIVERSITY STUDENT CHEN RENZHAO SAYING: "I just heard that Liu Xiang is unexpectedly out of the race and I'm very shocked. It must not have been easy for him, just standing on the track, after four years of hard work -- since he was injured in 2008 -- and carrying the pressure of the whole country on his shoulders" PEOPLE WALKING ON THE STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 22-YEAR-OLD UNIVERSITY STUDENT CAO YUE SAYING: "Liu Xiang is my hero. I'm really sad that he is out of the race this time. But (we) shouldn't criticise him for this, because even a horse can lose its front hooves sometimes (the greatest can fall)" VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING DOWN STEPS
- Embargoed: 22nd August 2012 21:02
- Keywords:
- Location: China
- Country: China
- Topics: Sport
- Reuters ID: LVABX2AAG894QONRUT40OFTRK028
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: Fans at home expressed sadness and shock after China's Liu Xiang crashed out of the heats in the 110 metres hurdles at the London Olympics on Tuesday (August 7), in a dramatic echo of his injury-induced withdrawal from the Beijing Games four years ago.
The 2004 Olympic champion and former world record holder hit the first hurdle with his lead leg and tumbled to the ground before being helped from the track with his dream of regaining the title in tatters.
"I just heard that Liu Xiang is unexpectedly out of the race, and I'm very shocked. It must not have been easy for him, just standing on the track, after four years of hard work - since he was injured in 2008 - and carrying the pressure of the whole country on his shoulders," said Chen Renzhao, a fan of the hurdler.
Cao Yue, a university student who studies abroad in the United States, said it was important for fans to show their support for Liu.
"Liu Xiang is my hero. I'm really sad that he is out of the race this time. But (we) shouldn't criticise him for this, because even a horse can lose its front hooves sometimes (the greatest can fall)," she said.
The 29-year-old Liu is still plagued by the Achilles injury that forced him to pull out at the Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing, but he had hit a rich vein of form this year.
Liu's first run under 13 seconds in five years was a blistering run of 12.97 seconds in his hometown of Shanghai, which he backed up with a 12.87 run in Oregon, which would have tied the Dayron Robles's world record but for an illegal wind.
The first indication that the injury demons might have returned came when he pulled out of last month's London Grand Prix, "a precaution" his camp said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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