Liu Xiang
Encyclopedia
Liu Xiang ' onMouseout='HidePop("99121")' href="/topics/Shanghai">Shanghai
, China
) 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
. He is the first Chinese athlete to achieve the "triple crown" of athletics: World Record Holder, World Champion and Olympic Champion. He was the favorite to win another gold in the 110 metre hurdles at the Beijing Olympics
, but much to the dismay of his fans, he had to withdraw from competition at the last moment after a false start and aggravation to a previously unrevealed injury.
in Osaka, Japan with a time of 13.42 seconds. In August 2001, he won at the Universiade
in Beijing, China with a time of 13.33 seconds. He also won at the 9th National Games of the People's Republic of China that same year.
In May 2004 at an IAAF race in Osaka, Japan, Liu managed to beat Allen Johnson
with a personal best record time of 13.06 seconds. Liu had become his hero's equal just before the Athens Olympic Games.
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." His 2004 Olympic gold medal was the first in a men's track and field
event for China, in which the previous best were held by Olympic silver medallist C.K. Yang
of the Republic of China
and Olympic bronze medalist Zhu Jianhua
. Contrary to popular belief however, Liu Xiang's Olympic track and field gold medal is not the first won by an Asian male athlete, as Olympic gold medalist Mikio Oda
, Naoto Tajima
, Son Kitei and others were the forerunners of Asian male track and field athletes achieving gold in the Olympic Games.
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.
in Helsinki
, Finland
, finishing 13.08 seconds, 0.01 seconds after champion Ladji Doucouré
from France. In November 2005, 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
.
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. In that same race, American Dominique Arnold
had also beaten the previous record with a time of 12.90 seconds.
In September, he won gold at IAAF World Athletics Final
in Stuttgart
, Germany with 12.93 seconds.
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.
On May 23, Liu participated in a test event at the Beijing National Stadium
. 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 for the Olympics in China instead.
in Beijing
, China, Liu bore national expectations of a repeat victory on home soil. On August 18, Liu withdrew 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 silence, confusion, and tears. According to Jeré Longman of the New York Times, "China's greatest hope had been dashed".
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 had 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.
Liu's injury was significant and also ruled him out of the following year's major competition, the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
. However, coach Sun Haiping was confident that he would return in time for the Chinese national championships and 2009 Asian Championships in Athletics in November.
, the East Asian Games
and the 11th Chinese National Games
.
At the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships
in Doha
, admitting that his right foot has yet to fully recover, Liu was able to finish in the finals of the 60 m hurdles, but managed only seventh place. His sole appearance on the 2010 IAAF Diamond League
circuit came at the Shanghai Grand Prix and he lost to national rival Shi Dongpeng for the first time. Following a six-month break, he marked his return to form at the 2010 Asian Games
. A crowd of 70,000 gathered at the Guangdong Olympic Stadium
to see him in the final and he easily won his third consecutive title at the competition, breaking the Games record with a run of 13.09 seconds – making him the third fastest athlete that season.
The Shanghai Golden Grand Prix in May 2011 saw Liu make a return to a world class level: he defeated David Oliver (the fastest hurdler in 2010) with a world-leading mark of 13.07 seconds to take his first win on the 2011 IAAF Diamond League. Liu showed he had accomplished a transition in his technique, as he reduced his number of starting steps before the first hurdle from eight to seven, using his left leg for hurdling.
On August 29, 2011, Liu Xiang competed in the Men's 110m hurdles final in the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea. Liu finished the race in third place, but he eventually won the silver medal, as the winner Dayron Robles was disqualified for entering Liu's lane and touching him. Though Robles' disqualification improved Liu's final position, many Liu fans claim that without Robles' violation, Liu wouldn't have lost balance and could have won the race.
Liu Xiang was on Time
magazine Asian edition's cover of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games titled "Liu Xiang & 99 More Athletes to Watch."
Liu donated approximately 2,500,000 yuan (364,000 USD) to 2008 Sichuan Earthquake
relief efforts.
Although he is arguably one of the most popular sports stars in China, Liu admits that he has no time for a romantic relationship, citing that he wishes he had taken the chance to form one before the Athens Olympics, which catapulted him to fame: "There is no girlfriend. No time."
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
.
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
) is a Chinese
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
110 meter
110 metres hurdles
The 110 metres hurdles is a hurdling track and field event for men. It is incuded in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympic Games. The female counterpart is the 100 metre hurdles. As part of a racing event, ten hurdles of 1.067 metres in height are evenly spaced along a straight...
hurdler
Hurdling
Hurdling is a type of track and field race.- Distances :There are sprint hurdle races and long hurdle races. The standard sprint hurdle race is 110 meters for men and 100 meters for women. The standard long hurdle race is 400 meters for both men and women...
. Liu is an Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
Gold medalist and World Champion
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
. His 2004 Olympic gold medal was the first in a men's track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
event for China.
Liu is one of China's most commercially successful athletes and has emerged as a cultural icon
Cultural icon
A cultural icon can be a symbol, logo, picture, name, face, person, building or other image that is readily recognized and generally represents an object or concept with great cultural significance to a wide cultural group...
. He is the first Chinese athlete to achieve the "triple crown" of athletics: World Record Holder, World Champion and Olympic Champion. He was the favorite to win another gold in the 110 metre hurdles at the Beijing Olympics
China at the 2008 Summer Olympics
China was the host nation of the 2008 Summer Olympics.China was represented by the Chinese Olympic Committee , and the team of selected athletes were officially known as Team China....
, but much to the dismay of his fans, he had to withdraw from competition at the last moment after a false start and aggravation to a previously unrevealed injury.
Career
In May 2001, he won at the East Asian GamesEast Asian Games
The East Asian Games is a multi-sport event organised by the East Asian Games Association and held every four years since 1993 among athletes from East Asian countries and territories of the Olympic Council of Asia , as well as the Pacific island of Guam, which is a member of the Oceania National...
in Osaka, Japan with a time of 13.42 seconds. In August 2001, he won at the Universiade
Universiade
The Universiade is an International multi-sport event, organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation . The name is a combination of the words "University" and "olympiad"...
in Beijing, China with a time of 13.33 seconds. He also won at the 9th National Games of the People's Republic of China that same year.
In May 2004 at an IAAF race in Osaka, Japan, Liu managed to beat Allen Johnson
Allen Johnson
Allen Kenneth Johnson is a retired hurdling athlete and won Olympic Gold in the 110 metre high hurdles at the 1996 games in Atlanta, Georgia....
with a personal best record time of 13.06 seconds. Liu had become his hero's equal just before the Athens Olympic Games.
2004 Olympics
Liu Xiang won the gold medalGold 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...
at the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
in the 110 metre hurdles event, equaling Colin Jackson
Colin Jackson
Colin Ray Jackson CBE is a British former sprint and hurdling athlete who specialised in the 110 metres hurdles. Over his career representing Great Britain and Wales he won an Olympic silver medal, became world champion three times, went undefeated at the European Championships for 12 years and...
'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
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. 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." His 2004 Olympic gold medal was the first in a men's track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
event for China, in which the previous best were held by Olympic silver medallist C.K. Yang
Yang Chuan-Kwang
Yang Chuan-kwang, or C.K. Yang , was an Olympic decathlete from the Republic of China....
of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
and Olympic bronze medalist Zhu Jianhua
Zhu Jianhua
Zhu Jianhua is a retired Chinese high jumper.In Helskinki 1983, he became China's first ever male athlete to win a medal in the history of the IAAF World Championships and, in Los Angeles 1984, became China's first ever male athlete to win a medal in the history of the Olympic Games.In addition to...
. Contrary to popular belief however, Liu Xiang's Olympic track and field gold medal is not the first won by an Asian male athlete, as Olympic gold medalist Mikio Oda
Mikio Oda
was a Japanese athlete and the first Japanese Olympic gold medalist. He was the first Asian Olympic champion in an individual event.Oda's main event was triple jump, but he also competed in long jump and high jump, and participated in all three events in the 1924, 1928 and 1932 Summer Olympics...
, Naoto Tajima
Naoto Tajima
was a Japanese athlete who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. He won a gold medal in the triple jump , and won a bronze medal in the long jump, behind Jesse Owens and Lutz Long....
, Son Kitei and others were the forerunners of Asian male track and field athletes achieving gold in the Olympic Games.
Liu, a 21-year-old student at East China Normal University
East China Normal University
East China Normal University , was founded in October 1951 in western Shanghai, on the campus of Great China University. It is the first Normal University founded after the establishment of the People's Republic of China.-History:...
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
Allen Johnson
Allen Kenneth Johnson is a retired hurdling athlete and won Olympic Gold in the 110 metre high hurdles at the 1996 games in Atlanta, Georgia....
. 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 and 2007 World Championships
In August 2005, Liu won a silver medal at the IAAF World Championships in AthleticsIAAF World Championships in Athletics
The World Championships in Athletics is an event organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations . Originally, it was organised every four years, but this changed in 1991, and it has since been organised biennially.-History:...
in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, finishing 13.08 seconds, 0.01 seconds after champion Ladji Doucouré
Ladji Doucouré
Ladji Doucouré is a French athlete of Malian and Senegalese descent. He was a football player and decathlete before specializing in hurdling.-Career:...
from France. In November 2005, he won at East Asian Games
East Asian Games
The East Asian Games is a multi-sport event organised by the East Asian Games Association and held every four years since 1993 among athletes from East Asian countries and territories of the Olympic Council of Asia , as well as the Pacific island of Guam, which is a member of the Oceania National...
in Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
, China with 13.21 seconds.
Off track, in May, he was awarded the Laureus World Sports Award
Laureus World Sports Awards
The Laureus World Sports Awards are awarded annually to sportspeople who have been outstanding during the previous year. The Laureus World Sports Awards were established in 1999 by Founding Patrons Daimler and Richemont and is supported by its Global Partners Mercedes-Benz, IWC Schaffhausen and...
for Newcomer of the Year
Laureus World Sports Award for Newcomer of the Year
List of winners and nominees of the Laureus World Sports Awards: Breakthrough of the Year. Prior to 2007, this award was named Newcomer of the Year.-List of winners and nominees:-See also:*Sportsman of the Year*Sportswoman of the Year...
for his breakthrough performance at the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
.
Liu set a new world record in the 110 metre hurdles, at the Super Grand Prix in Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
on July 11, 2006, with a time of 12.88 seconds (+1.1 m/s tailwind). The record was ratified by the IAAF. In that same race, American Dominique Arnold
Dominique Arnold
Dominique Arnold is an American hurdling athlete. He holds the fourth-fastest all-time performance in the 110 meter hurdles, with a time of 12.90 s...
had also beaten the previous record with a time of 12.90 seconds.
In September, he won gold at IAAF World Athletics Final
2006 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 4th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion in Stuttgart, Germany on September 9 and September 10, 2006.-Results:-External links:*...
in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, Germany with 12.93 seconds.
On August 31, 2007 at the World Athletics Championships
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan, Liu won gold in the 110 metre hurdles with 12.95 seconds to become the World Champion for the first time.
On May 23, Liu participated in a test event at the Beijing National Stadium
Beijing National Stadium
Beijing National Stadium, also known officially as the National Stadium, or colloquially as the Bird's Nest , is a stadium in Beijing, China. The stadium was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.-History:...
. He pulled out of the Reebok Grand Prix
Reebok Grand Prix
The Adidas Grand Prix, formerly the Reebok Grand Prix, is an annual athletics meeting at the Icahn Stadium in New York City, United States. Previously one of the IAAF Grand Prix events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League.-World records:...
in New York on May 31, citing hamstring problems. On June 8, he false-started at the Prefontaine Classic
Prefontaine Classic
The Prefontaine Classic is one of the premier track and field meets in the United States. Every year it draws a world caliber field to compete at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.-History:...
at Eugene, Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
. Liu skipped the entire European circuit, preferring to train for the Olympics in China instead.
Beijing Olympics
Leading up to the Summer Olympics2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China, Liu bore national expectations of a repeat victory on home soil. On August 18, Liu withdrew from the Olympic 110 metre hurdles
Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 110 metre hurdles
-Round 1:Qualification: First 4 in each heat and the next 8 fastest advance to the Round 2.-Round 2:Qualification: First 3 in each heat and the next 4 fastest advance to the Semifinals.-Semifinal 1:20 August 2008 - 21:30Wind: -0.4 m/s...
. 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 silence, confusion, and tears. According to Jeré Longman of the New York Times, "China's greatest hope had been dashed".
According to China's track and field association
Chinese Athletic Association
The Chinese Athletic Association is the national governing body for the sport of athletics in the People's Republic of China. It became a member of the International Association of Athletics Federations in 1978 and is also a member of the Asian Athletics Association.HQ located at 2 Tiyuguan Road,...
, Liu suffered from a recurrence of chronic inflammation in his right Achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
. Liu's coach, Sun Haiping addressed the media during a press conference and stated that the hurdler had 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.
Liu's injury was significant and also ruled him out of the following year's major competition, the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
. However, coach Sun Haiping was confident that he would return in time for the Chinese national championships and 2009 Asian Championships in Athletics in November.
2009–2011: Return from injury
After a 13-month absence because of his injury, Liu finally returned to competition at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix. Liu recorded a time of 13.15, tied with Terrence Trammell, but finished 0.01s behind and was awarded second place. However, Liu said he was happy with his performance. Nearing the end of the year, he competed at a number of major events on home turf. He won gold medals at the 2009 Asian Athletics Championships2009 Asian Athletics Championships
The 18th Asian Athletics Championships were held in Guangzhou, China in 2009.- Track :- Field :- Track :- Field :- Medal table :-References:*. IAAF . Retrieved on 2011-07-09.*. IAAF . Retrieved on 2011-07-09....
, the East Asian Games
Athletics at the 2009 East Asian Games
At the 2009 East Asian Games, the athletics events were held at the Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground in Hong Kong, People's Republic of China from 10 December to 13 December...
and the 11th Chinese National Games
Athletics at the 11th National Games of the People's Republic of China
At the 11th National Games of the People's Republic of China, the athletics events were held at the Jinan Olympic Sports Center in Jinan, People's Republic of China from 21–26 October, 2009. The National Games marathon event was held in conjunction with the Beijing Marathon on 18 October.-Medal...
.
At the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships
2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics was held between 12 and 14 March at the ASPIRE Dome in Doha, Qatar. The championships was the first of six IAAF World Athletics Series events to take place in 2010.-Bidding and organisation:...
in Doha
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
, admitting that his right foot has yet to fully recover, Liu was able to finish in the finals of the 60 m hurdles, but managed only seventh place. His sole appearance on the 2010 IAAF Diamond League
2010 IAAF Diamond League
The 2010 IAAF Diamond League was the first edition of the Diamond League, an annual series of fourteen one-day track and field meetings. The series began on 14 May in Doha, Qatar and ended on 27 August in Brussels, Belgium....
circuit came at the Shanghai Grand Prix and he lost to national rival Shi Dongpeng for the first time. Following a six-month break, he marked his return to form at the 2010 Asian Games
Athletics at the 2010 Asian Games
Athletics at the 2010 Asian Games was held in Guangzhou, China from 21 to 27 November 2010. A total of 47 events were contested, 24 by men and 23 by women - matching the Olympic athletics programme...
. A crowd of 70,000 gathered at the Guangdong Olympic Stadium
Guangdong Olympic Stadium
The Guangdong Olympic Stadium, also known as the Aoti Main Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. Currently used mostly for football matches, the stadium was built in 2001...
to see him in the final and he easily won his third consecutive title at the competition, breaking the Games record with a run of 13.09 seconds – making him the third fastest athlete that season.
The Shanghai Golden Grand Prix in May 2011 saw Liu make a return to a world class level: he defeated David Oliver (the fastest hurdler in 2010) with a world-leading mark of 13.07 seconds to take his first win on the 2011 IAAF Diamond League. Liu showed he had accomplished a transition in his technique, as he reduced his number of starting steps before the first hurdle from eight to seven, using his left leg for hurdling.
On August 29, 2011, Liu Xiang competed in the Men's 110m hurdles final in the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea. Liu finished the race in third place, but he eventually won the silver medal, as the winner Dayron Robles was disqualified for entering Liu's lane and touching him. Though Robles' disqualification improved Liu's final position, many Liu fans claim that without Robles' violation, Liu wouldn't have lost balance and could have won the race.
Personal life
Liu is known for his low-profile appearance, but he has become one of the most popular athletes in China.Liu Xiang was on Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine Asian edition's cover of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games titled "Liu Xiang & 99 More Athletes to Watch."
Liu donated approximately 2,500,000 yuan (364,000 USD) to 2008 Sichuan Earthquake
2008 Sichuan earthquake
The 2008 Sichuan earthquake or the Great Sichuan Earthquake was a deadly earthquake that measured at 8.0 Msand 7.9 Mw occurred at 14:28:01 CST...
relief efforts.
Although he is arguably one of the most popular sports stars in China, Liu admits that he has no time for a romantic relationship, citing that he wishes he had taken the chance to form one before the Athens Olympics, which catapulted him to fame: "There is no girlfriend. No time."
In Jan 2007, Liu was announced as global brand spokesperson for Nutrilite
Nutrilite
Nutrilite is a brand of mineral, vitamin, and dietary supplements created in 1934 by Dr. Carl F. Rehnborg. Nutrilite products are currently manufactured by Access Business Group, a subsidiary of Alticor whose products are sold via the Amway and Amway Global Corporations worldwide...
. Liu's athletic gear is sponsored by Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
. He is also a spokesperson for Coca Cola and Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
.
Major achievements
| 2000 | World Junior Championships 2000 World Junior Championships in Athletics The 2000 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 2000 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Santiago, Chile.-Men:-Women:-Medals table:... |
Santiago, Chile | 4th | 110 m hurdles | |
| 2001 | World University Games Athletics at the 2001 Summer Universiade At the 2001 Summer Universiade, the athletics events were held in Beijing, People's Republic of China. A total of 45 events were contested, of which 23 by male and 22 by female athletes. The host country, China, took the most gold medals and the most medals overall . The United States were a close... |
Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... , China |
1st | 110 m hurdles | 13.33 seconds |
| World Championships 2001 World Championships in Athletics The 8th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada between 3 August and 12 August and was the first time the event had visited North America... |
Edmonton Edmonton Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census... , Canada |
4th (semis) | 110 m hurdles | ||
| Chinese National Games | Guangzhou Guangzhou Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port... , China |
1st | 110 m hurdles | 13.36 | |
| East Asian Games Athletics at the 2001 East Asian Games At the 2001 East Asian Games, the athletics events were held in Osaka, Japan from 23 to 26 May 2001. A total of 45 events were contested, of which 23 by male and 22 by female athletes. All events were held at the Nagai Stadium, with the exception of the racewalking and half marathon events... |
Osaka Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe... , Japan |
1st | 110 m hurdles | 13.42 seconds | |
| 2002 | Athletissima Athletissima Athletissima is an annual athletics meeting at the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise in Lausanne, Switzerland. Previously one of the five IAAF Super Grand Prix events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League.The first edition was held on 8 July 1977.... |
Lausanne Lausanne Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west... , Switzerland |
2nd | 110 m hurdles | 13.12 seconds (WJR/AR) |
| Asian Championships 2002 Asian Championships in Athletics - Men :- Women :- Medal table :-External links:*... |
Colombo Colombo Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo... , Sri Lanka |
1st | 110 m hurdles | 13.56 seconds | |
| Asian Games Athletics at the 2002 Asian Games -Medal summary:-Men's events:-Women's events:-External links:* - GBR Athletics... |
Busan Busan Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world... , South Korea |
1st | 110 m hurdles | 13.27 seconds | |
| 2003 | World Indoor Championships 2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships The 9th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics were held in the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, UK from 14 March to 16 March 2003. It was the first time the Championships had been held in the UK... |
Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a... , United Kingdom |
3rd | 60 m hurdles | 7.52 seconds |
| World Championships 2003 World Championships in Athletics The 9th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held from 23 August to 31 August 2003 in the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, France.-Track:... |
Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... , France |
3rd | 110 m hurdles | 13.23 seconds | |
| World Athletics Final 2003 IAAF World Athletics Final The 1st IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Stade Louis II, in Monte Carlo, Monaco on 13 September and 14 September 2003.The hammer throw event for men and women had to take place in Szombathely, Hungary a week previous as the Monaco stadium was not large enough to hold the event.One of the... |
Monaco Monaco Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the... |
4th | 110 m hurdles | ||
| 2004 | World Indoor Championships 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships The 10th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Budapest Arena, Hungary between March 5 and March 7, 2004... |
Budapest Budapest Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter... , Hungary |
2nd | 60 m hurdles | 7.43 seconds |
| Olympic Games Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics At the 2004 Summer Olympics, the athletics events were held at the Athens Olympic Stadium from August 18 to August 29, except for the marathons , the race walks , and the shot put... |
Athens Athens Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state... , Greece |
1st | 110 m hurdles | 12.91 seconds (=WR) | |
| 2005 | World Championships 2005 World Championships in Athletics The 10th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held in the Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland , the site of the first IAAF World Championships in 1983. One theme of the 2005 championships was paralympic sports, some of... |
Helsinki Helsinki Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is... , Finland |
2nd | 110 m hurdles | 13.08 seconds |
| Chinese National Games Athletics at the 10th National Games of the People's Republic of China At the 10th National Games of the People's Republic of China, the athletics events were held at the Nanjing Olympic Sports Center in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, PR China from 17 to 22 October 2005. A total of 46 events were contested, 24 by male and 22 by female athletes... |
Nanjing Nanjing ' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions... , China |
1st | 110 m hurdles | ||
| Asian Championships | Incheon Incheon The Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City... , South Korea |
1st | 110 m hurdles | ||
| East Asian Games Athletics at the 2005 East Asian Games At the 2005 East Asian Games, the athletics events were held at the Estádio Campo Desportivo in Macau, People's Republic of China from 1–4 November. A total of 45 events were contested, of which 23 by male and 22 by female athletes. China easily topped the medal table, winning 26 of the 45... |
Macau Macau Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China... , China |
1st | 110 m hurdles | 13.21 seconds | |
| 2006 | IAAF Super Grand Prix IAAF Super Grand Prix The Super Grand Prix was an annual series of athletics meetings organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations .- Meetings :Current meetings for 2009- External links :*... |
Lausanne Lausanne Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west... , Switzerland |
1st | 110 m hurdles | 12.88 seconds (WR) |
| World Athletics Final 2006 IAAF World Athletics Final The 4th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion in Stuttgart, Germany on September 9 and September 10, 2006.-Results:-External links:*... |
Stuttgart Stuttgart Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million .... , Germany |
1st | 110 m hurdles | 12.93 seconds | |
| World Cup 2006 IAAF World Cup The 10th IAAF World Cup in Athletics was an international track and field sporting event, held under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, which took place on 16 and 17 September 2006 at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece.... |
Athens Athens Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state... , Greece |
2nd | 110 m hurdles | ||
| Asian Games Athletics at the 2006 Asian Games An Athletics competition was contested at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar from December 7 to December 12. Twenty-three events were contested for the men while 22 were on the slate for the women. Only the 3000 Meter Steeplechase was not contested for by the women... |
Doha Doha Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar... , Qatar |
1st | 110 m hurdles | 13.15 seconds | |
| 2007 | World Championships | Osaka Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe... , Japan |
1st | 110 m hurdles | 12.95 seconds |
| 2008 | World Indoor Championships 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships The 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics were held at the Luis Puig Palace in Valencia, Spain, March 7-9, 2008.-Bid:Valencia was announced the winning bidder by the IAAF on November 13, 2005 at an IAAF Council meeting in Moscow, Russia.-Men:... |
Valencia, Spain | 1st | 60 m hurdles | 7.46 seconds |
| Olympic Games Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics were held during the last 10 days of the games, from August 15 to August 24, 2008, at the Beijing National Stadium. The Olympic sport of athletics is split into four distinct sets of events: track and field events, road running events, and racewalking... |
Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... , China |
DNF | 110 m hurdles | Could not compete due to injury | |
| 2009 | Chinese National Games Athletics at the 11th National Games of the People's Republic of China At the 11th National Games of the People's Republic of China, the athletics events were held at the Jinan Olympic Sports Center in Jinan, People's Republic of China from 21–26 October, 2009. The National Games marathon event was held in conjunction with the Beijing Marathon on 18 October.-Medal... |
Jinan Jinan Jinan is the capital of Shandong province in Eastern China. The area of present-day Jinan has played an important role in the history of the region from the earliest beginnings of civilisation and has evolved into a major national administrative, economic, and transportation hub... , China |
1st | 110 m hurdles | |
| Asian Championships 2009 Asian Athletics Championships The 18th Asian Athletics Championships were held in Guangzhou, China in 2009.- Track :- Field :- Track :- Field :- Medal table :-References:*. IAAF . Retrieved on 2011-07-09.*. IAAF . Retrieved on 2011-07-09.... |
Guangzhou Guangzhou Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port... , China |
1st | 110 m hurdles | 13.50 seconds | |
| East Asian Games Athletics at the 2009 East Asian Games At the 2009 East Asian Games, the athletics events were held at the Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground in Hong Kong, People's Republic of China from 10 December to 13 December... |
Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... , China |
1st | 110 m hurdles | 13.66 seconds | |
| 2010 | World Indoor Championships 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships The 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics was held between 12 and 14 March at the ASPIRE Dome in Doha, Qatar. The championships was the first of six IAAF World Athletics Series events to take place in 2010.-Bidding and organisation:... |
Doha Doha Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar... , Qatar |
7th | 60 m hurdles 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Men's 60 metres hurdles The men's 60 metres hurdles competition at the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships was held at the ASPIRE Dome on 12 and 14 March.The competition was set to be one of the highlights of the competition from the very beginning: it was the first major competition for 2004 Olympic champion Liu Xiang's... |
|
| Asian Games Athletics at the 2010 Asian Games Athletics at the 2010 Asian Games was held in Guangzhou, China from 21 to 27 November 2010. A total of 47 events were contested, 24 by men and 23 by women - matching the Olympic athletics programme... |
Guangzhou Guangzhou Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port... , China |
1st | 110 m hurdles | 13.09 seconds | |
| 2011 | World Championships 2011 World Championships in Athletics The 13th IAAF World Championships in Athletics was an international athletics competition that was held in Daegu, South Korea. It started on 27 August 2011 and finished on 4 September 2011.... |
Daegu Daegu Daegu , also known as Taegu, and officially the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea, the fourth largest after Seoul, Busan, and Incheon, and the third largest metropolitan area in the country with over 2.5 million residents. The city is the capital and principal city of the... , South Korea |
2nd | 110 m hurdles | 13.27 seconds |
See also
- China at the 2004 Summer OlympicsChina at the 2004 Summer OlympicsChina competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.The team won 32 gold medals and 63 medals in total ....
- China at the 2008 Summer OlympicsChina at the 2008 Summer OlympicsChina was the host nation of the 2008 Summer Olympics.China was represented by the Chinese Olympic Committee , and the team of selected athletes were officially known as Team China....
- China at the World Championships in AthleticsChina at the World Championships in AthleticsThe People's Republic of China first competed at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in 1983, at the World Championships in Helsinki.-Medals by World Championships:-1983:*Zhu Jianhua - Bronze - Men's high jump-1987:...