Disaster Strikes Liu Xiang in Second Straight Olympics

August 10, 2012 from LinkAsia

Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang won China's first ever men's track and field gold medal at the 2004 Athens games, but bowed out in Beijing due to injury. Liu had his Olympic dreams shattered yet again in London, but as CCTV News reports, he turned tragedy into inspiration before leaving the track.

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2012 London Olympics

The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and commonly known as London 2012, was a major international multi-sport event celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic Games, as governed by the International Olympic Committee. It took place in London, Unit... Explore this topic

Liu Xiang

Liu Xiang is a Chinese 110 meter hurdler. Liu is an Olympic Gold medalist and World Champion. His 2004 Olympic gold medal was the first in a men's track and field event for China. Liu is one of China's most commercially successful athletes and has emerged as a cultural icon. H... Explore this topic

Track and field

Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the competition venue: a stadium with an oval running track around a grass field. The throwing and jumping events generally t... Explore this topic

London

London is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom, and the largest city, urban zone and metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history g... Explore this topic

2004 Summer Olympics

The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, were a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece, from 13 to 29 August 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied... Explore this topic

Beijing

Peking ist die Hauptstadt der Volksrepublik China und hat eine über dreitausendjährige Geschichte. Der Name bedeutet Nördliche Hauptstadt. Peking ist heute eine regierungsunmittelbare Stadt, das heißt, sie ist direkt der Zentralregierung unterstellt und damit Provinzen, autono... Explore this topic

Olympic Games

The modern Olympic Games is the leading international sporting event featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games are considered to be the world's foremost sports competition with mor... Explore this topic

Gold medal

A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture. The award concept arose in the military, initially by simple recognition... Explore this topic

CCTV News

CCTV News formerly known as CCTV-9 is a 24-hour English news channel, of China Central Television, based in Beijing. The channel grew out of CCTV International, which was launched on September 15, 2000. CCTV News coverage includes newscasts, in-depth reports, and commentary pr... Explore this topic

LinkAsia

From Beijng to Tokyo, from Seoul to New Delhi and beyond, LinkAsia takes viewers into media about Asia -- from Asia -- offering unfiltered insight into one of the most diverse, fast-paced regions of the globe. Each week, LinkAsia brings you a unique half-hour program that co... Explore this topic

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Yul Kwon:
At the London Olympic Games, a surprising turn of events for China's 110-meter hurdler Liu Xiang. The 2004 Olympic champion was hoping to banish memories of 2008, when an injury forced him to drop out of the Beijing games, but Liu found even more heartbreak this week in London. Here's Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

Reporter:
The former world record holder had looked relaxed as he took the blocks after a highly promising buildup to the Games, which included running the fourth fastest time of the year despite rumors that he was carrying an Achilles tendon injury.

But his dream was shattered after just a few strides as he didn't even come close to clearing the first hurdle.

This is what no one wants to see, even if you're one of his rivals. Down he goes, breaking his heart and clearly that of his fans.

You can see there that he didn't even come close to clearing that hurdle.

What followed was perhaps the saddest sight of the Games so far, as he hopped down the track before kissing the final hurdle and leaving the Olympic stadium eventually in a wheelchair. Clearly, he believes his career is over.

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