Liu Xiang

Liu Xiang (zh-stp|s=|t=|p=Liú Xiáng; born July 13, 1983 in Shanghai, China) is a Chinese 110 metre hurdler. Liu is an Olympic Gold medallist and World Champion. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/athletics/5156040.stm BBC SPORT | Athletics | Liu sets new world hurdles record ] ] His 2004 Olympic gold medal was China's first in a men's track and field event. Furthermore he is the first Chinese athlete to achieve the "triple crown" of athletics (World Record Holder, World Champion and Olympic Champion).

Career

2000

Although his coach Sun described Liu Xiang's technique as "terrible" in the beginning, Liu debuted internationally at the world junior championships in 2000, finishing fourth in the 110 metre hurdles event.

2001

In May, he won at East Asian Games in Osaka, Japan with 13.42 seconds. In August, he won at World University Games in Beijing, China with 13.33 seconds.

2004

In May 2004 at an IAAF race in Osaka, Japan, Liu managed to beat Johnson with a personal best record time of 13.06 seconds. Liu had become his hero's equal just before the Athens Olympic Games.

Liu won the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens in the 110 metre hurdles event, equaling Colin Jackson's 1993 world record of 12.91 seconds. Liu became just the sixth man to post a time under 13 seconds for this event. The ecstatic Liu at once fulfilled the great promise he had shown in setting a world junior record two years earlier and raised the hopes of his compatriots for a repeat victory at the 2008 Games in Beijing. Liu said that his performance, which brought China its first men's Olympic gold medal in track and field, "changes the opinion that Asian countries don't get good results in sprint races. I want to prove to all the world that Asians can run very fast." In his comments, Liu gave voice to his country's cultural stereotype, which judging from editorial comments in Chinese newspapers, he was not alone in believing. "I am a Chinese," he said, "and considering the physiology of the Chinese people, it is something unbelievable."

Liu, a 21-year-old student at East China Normal University at the time of his Athens victory, became the object of a bidding war between commercial sponsors. The Chinese Track and Field Association restricted him to four such deals.

Liu finished the season with four of the year's ten fastest clockings. Reaching 17 finals in the 60 m indoor hurdles and the 110 metre hurdles, he lost just two, both to American Allen Johnson. Liu, at 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) and 85 kg (187 lb), was taller than most sprint hurdlers, and he has showed spectacular athleticism by constraining his naturally long stride to the three-step pattern necessary in order to avoid the alternation of lead legs in hurdling.

2005

In August, Liu won a silver medal at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Helsinki, Finland, finishing 13.08 seconds, 0.01 seconds after champion Ladji Doucouré from France. In November, he won at East Asian Games in Macau, China with 13.21 seconds.Off track, in May, he was awarded the Laureus World Sports Award for Newcomer of the Year for his breakthrough performance at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.

2006

Liu set a new world record in the 110 metre hurdles, at the Super Grand Prix in Lausanne on July 11, 2006, with a time of 12.88 seconds (+1.1 m/s tailwind). The record was ratified by the IAAF. [ [http://www.iaaf.org/statistics/records/gender=M/allrecords/discipline=110H/index.html IAAF International Association of Athletics Federations - IAAF.org - Statistics - Records ] ] In that same race, American Dominique Arnold had also beaten the previous record with a time of 12.90 seconds. [ [http://www.iaaf.org/GP06/news/Kind=2/newsId=35280.html IAAF International Association of Athletics Federations - World Athletics Tour 2006 - News ] ] In September, he won gold at IAAF World Athletics Final in Stuttgart, Germany with 12.93 seconds.

2007

On August 31, 2007 at the World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan, Liu won gold in the 110 metre hurdles with 12.95 seconds to become the World Champion for the first time.

2008

On May 23, Liu participated in a test event at the Beijing National Stadium.cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/18/sports/olympics/18hurdles.html|title="China’s Big Hope in Track Doesn’t Get Out of Blocks"|work=New York Times|author=Longman, Jeré|date=2008-08-18] He pulled out of the Reebok Grand Prix in New York on May 31, citing hamstring problems. On June 8, he false-started at the Prefontaine Classic at Eugene, Oregon. Liu skipped the entire European circuit, preferring to train in China instead.

Leading up to the Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, Liu bore national expectations of a repeat victory on home soil.cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/athletics/heartbreak-for-china-as-hero-limps-out-before-first-hurdle-901853.html|title="Heartbreak for China as hero limps out before first hurdle"|work=The Independent|author=Coonan, Clifford|date=2008-08018] China deemed another gold medal from Liu essential for a successful Olympics. On August 18, Liuwithdrew from the Olympic 110 metre hurdles. He walked off the track after a false start by another runner in his first-round heat, leaving the crowd at the Beijing National Stadium in stunned silencecite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/athletics/story/2008/08/18/olympics-athletics-liu.html|title="China's Liu Xiang pulls out of 110m hurdles"|work=CBC|date=2008-08-18] and tears.

According to China's track and field association, Liu suffered from a recurrence of chronic inflammation in his right Achilles’ tendon. Liu's coach, Sun Haiping addressed the media during a press conference and stated that the hurdler has been hampered by a tendon injury for six or seven years. He commented on the situation, saying "We worked hard every day, but the result was as you see and it is really hard to take" Sun, who was in tears for most of the press conference, stated that Liu would be unable to compete for the remainder of 2008. Liu made a public apology to the Chinese media the following day, saying he could "do nothing but pull out of the race" because of his foot injury. He believes that the injury would not prevent him from future competitions and vows to "come back" for the next Olympics. cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/20/sports/olympics/20hurdler.html|title="Star Hurdler Apologizes to China for Withdrawal|work=New York Times|author=Yardley, Jim|date=2008-08-19]

Major achievements

Personal life

Liu is famous for his low profile appearance, but he has become one of the most popular athletes in China. [ [http://english.cri.cn/4026/2007/05/14/[e-mail] Liu Xiang Most Popular Athlete in China] ] Liu donated approximately 2,500,000 yuan (364,000 USD) to the 2008 Sichuan Earth quake relief. [ [http://sports.sina.com.cn/z/liuxiang/ 刘翔零距离_NIKE新浪竞技风暴_新浪网 ] ]

Born in Putuo District of Shanghai, Liu is an alumnus of Yichuan High School. He is currently enrolled at East China Normal University.Fact|date=August 2008

According to Forbes, Liu's 2007 Income was 163 million yuan ($23.8 million US).

ponsorships

In Jan 2007, Liu was announced as global brand spokesperson for Nutrilite

Liu's athletic gear is sponsored by Nike. He is also a spokesperson for Coca Cola and Cadillac.

Liu Xiang was on "Time" magazine Asian edition's cover of the 2008 Summer Olympic Game titled "Liu Xiang & 99 More Athletes to Watch." [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/asia TIME Magazine - Asia Edition - August 18, 2008 Vol. 172, No. 6 ] ]

ee also

*Sports in China
*2004 Summer Olympics — China at the 2004 Summer Olympics
*2008 Summer Olympics — China at the 2008 Summer Olympics

References

External links

*En icon [http://liuxiang.sports.cn/english/index.html Liu Xiang's official website]
*iaaf name|id=176546|name=Liu Xiang
* [http://sports.sina.com.cn/z/liuxiang/ 刘翔零距离（SINA)]
* [http://www.shoeguide.co.uk/exec/articles/nike_zoom_aerofly_asafa_powell_sprint_spike_for_beijing Article on the development of Nike's Aerofly and the Aerofly LX spikes (Liu's personalised shoe for the Beijing Olympics)]
* [http://www.spikesmag.com/athletes/Heroes/liuxiang.aspx SPIKES Hero profile on www.spikesmag.com]
* [http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1819129_1819134_1825311,00.html "Liu Xiang"] , n°4 on "Time"’s list of "100 Olympic Athletes To Watch"