Xiang Liu

Nickname

Flying Man [his name Xiang means to 'fly' or 'soar' in Mandarin]. (IAAF 15 Jan 2006; xinhuanet.com, 23 Nov 2009)

Hobbies

Listening to music and playing video games. (2008teamchina.olympic.cn, 19 Jan 2010)

Occupation

Athlete

Education

Sports Science - East China Normal University, Shanghai, CHN

Language(s) spoken

Chinese, Mandarin

Club name

Shanghai, Shanghai, CHN

Coach

Sun Haiping (CHN) from 2001 (liuxiang.sports.cn, 19 Jan 2010)

Debut

2000 for China, World Championship (Chile) (2008teamchina.olympic.cn, 19 Jan 2010)

Injuries

He had to undergo Achilles tendon surgery after pulling out of his first-round heat at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The injury ruled him out of all competitions for 13 months, and he returned to the track at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix in September 2009. (xinhuanet.com, 23 Nov 2009)

He struggled in early 2006 after spraining his ankle. (Sydney Morning Herald, 30 May 2006)

He missed numerous competitions in the 2005 season due to injury. (IAAF, 11 Sep 2006)

Additional information

Start of sporting career
In 1993 at the Shanghai Putuo District Youth Sports School. (2008teamchina.olympic.cn, 19 Jan 2010)

Reason for taking up this sport
As he was much taller than the other boys at his school, he was encouraged to take up high jumping. Sun Haiping, a prominent hurdles coach in China, saw him hurdling and thought the event was perfect for him, and convinced him to switch focus. (IAAF, 11 Sep 2006)

Most memorable sporting achievement
Winning gold and equalling the world record at the 2004 Olympic Games. (AFP, 09 May 2005)

Hero
United States' hurdler Allen Johnson. He asked for Johnson's autograph the first time they raced together in 2002. (Reuters 31 Mar 2004, IAAF,, 19 Aug 2004)

As a child he was inspired by the feats of China's table tennis star Deng Yaping, the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games singles champion. (IAAF 28 Aug 2004)

Sporting philosophy / motto
"For some athletes it's just a job. For me it's something I love." (TIME, 04 Oct 2004)

Awards
His gold medal in the 110m hurdles at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens made him the first male athlete from China to win an Olympic title on the track. (IAAF Handbook 2005)

He was Newcomer of the Year for 2005 at the Laureus World Sports Awards. (Laureus, 28 Dec 2005)

In 2003 he was voted Male Athlete of the Year by Chinese sports journalists. (IAAF, 12 Jan 2004)

General
VALUABLE MAN
In 2007 he was reported to have signed endorsement deals in China worth USD$1.3 million. As part of their sponsorship, China Insurance donated an insurance policy that protected his legs in the lead up to the 2008 Olympic Games. He reportedly gives back 25 per cent of his commercial earnings to the Chinese national and provincial athletic federations. (timesonline.co.uk, 27 May 2008; Sydney Morning Herald 23 Nov 2007; China Daily 18 Jun 2007)

MIRACLE MAN
His time at the 2004 Olympic Games of 12.91s was the first time he had ever run under 13 seconds, in training or racing. "Given the Asian physiology, few expected that a Chinese would ever be able to run under 13 seconds. I believe this is like a sort of miracle. What has happened is incredible but I will keep on working very hard in the future and you can expect more miracles to happen." (BBC, IAAF 28 Apr 2004)

FAMILY MOTIVATION
He spent a lot of time with his paternal grandmother while growing up, who used to cook him a special braised pork dish she believed would provide the energy required to be a champion hurdler. She died while he was competing at the 2001 National Chinese Games in Guangzhou. His parents did not tell him about her passing until he returned home from the competition. When he was told, he vowed to win every gold medal he could on behalf of his grandmother. (Sport 163 17 May 2006)

Previous Olympics

Beijing 2008, Athens 2004