Liu Xiang Update

By Bidz Dela Cruz

Good news from the Chinese camp: Liu Xiang is steadily healing day by day!



The whole world lay witnessed to Liu Xiang’s exit from the 2008 Olympics, which was probably the saddest moments of the Beijing Games.  The Chinese 110-meter hurdler stayed away from the spotlight after the Olympic games, and it seems that he won’t be competing again until next summer, his coach Sun Haiping told media.

“Liu, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist, is receiving ‘conservative’ treatment, as opposed to surgery on his inflamed right Achilles tendon,” said Haiping as quoted on the IAAF website. "If everything goes all right, Liu will back to the competition track next June," Haiping added.

Liu’s personal best in the hurdles is 12.88, while Cuba’s Dayron Robles holds the world record at 12.87 seconds. With this fact, Haiping said: "He's already recovered 80 percent and has even tried to clear some hurdles. ... After a steady recovery, Liu is still capable of running to 12.88 or 12.87 seconds”

Some media have actually witnessed promising highlights about Liu prior to the 2008 Olympics, while he was nursing a summer injury. Locker footage on the day of his Olympic hurdles heat, however, showed him in great agony. He then tried to compete in his heat, but limped off the track following a false start as the Chinese crowd cried in disappointment.

This great news however, will encourage more supporters to pray and hope for more positive news from Liu Xiang next year, with a fully healthy Chinese Hurdler challenging 2008 Olympic champion Robles throughout the season.