Defending 110m hurdles champion Liu Xiang is out of the Beijing Olympics after pulling up in the opening round.
Liu, considered China's best athletics gold medal hope, was suffering with an Achilles injury and was clearly in pain during the warm-up.
After a false start he pulled up and, to the disappointment of the home crowd, was forced to withdraw.
"Liu Xiang has two injuries, one in his foot and one in his leg," his coaches told a news conference. "
One of the injuries is an accumulated injury. In the past he has not dropped out of any competition easily. "
His right heel injury has been a problem since six years ago, even before the Athens Olympics.
"On August 16, we arrived at the Olympic village, medical experts analyzed Liu's injury and specified there was a problem on Liu's Achilles's tendon."
The 25-year-old's coach, Sun Haiping, had said on Sunday that Liu was suffering with the injury but he would be OK to race.
However, rumours surfaced half an hour before his heat that he was struggling and Liu's frustration showed as he kicked a padded wall before entering the stadium.
He had been suffering with a hamstring injury in the build-up to the Games and pulled up short of the first hurdle after a false start, before disappearing into the bowels of the stadium.
Feng Shouyong, head of the Chinese team, said: "Since Athens his main goal was to achieve gold in Beijing.
"Today's result was not perfect for all of us and especially Liu Xiang. He has been under great pressure and expectations from all of us."
BBC Sport presenter Colin Jackson was watching the action in Beijing and expressed his concern at Liu's injury.
"It could have been a massive injury that wrecked his career," said the former 110m hurdles world record holder "He is a world class athlete and you never want that to happen."
Cuban world record holder Dayron Robles made it into the last 16 as did Team GB's Andrew Turner and Allan Scott.
Liu's much anticipated clash with Robles in the final had been billed as one of the highlights of this year's competition.
The 21-year-old broke his Chinese rival's world record in June this year and has looked impressive throughout the season.
Robles now seems certain to claim the gold after another rival, American Terrence Trammell, also withdrew after pulling up injured.
That could also leave the door open for the British duo of Turner and Scott who both ran 13.56 in their respective heats to qualify for the second round on Tuesday.
Turner, who finished second behind Robles in the first heat of the day, was happy to make it through to the last 16.
"I just wanted to qualify," he said. "The time was nothing great but it was about qualification before I start to pick it up.
"It is a brilliant atmosphere and a fast track, but it's not a fast track if you hit a hurdle so I was just trying to keep it clean."
Liu's withdrawal was greeted by disbelief from the capacity crowd inside the Bird's Nest Stadium, who left in their droves as their hero exited down the tunnel.
最后由 (＾＿＾) 于 2008-08-18 14:18:05编辑 |
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