Liu Xiang

Every August of the last three years I have written an entry about the Chinese track-and-field star Liu Xiang.  Here are the earlier such entries:

2008
2009
2010 

Here is a trip down memory lane from the China Herald, their thoughts back in 2008 about "what killed Liu Xiang's Olympic ambitions?"

There is some news about Liu.  This year he is expected to be the PRC's star in the IAAF World Championships, to be held in Daegu, from August 28 to September 4.  The IAAF, by the way, the the International Association of Athletics Federations, and Daegu is the fourth-largest city in the Republic of Korea.

Apparently, in the hurdles, Liu has adopted a new technique since his injury, approaching the first hurdle in seven strides instead of -- as in his earlier days --  in eight.  Here is a discussion from China's Xinhua News Agency.

In that event Liu will face tough competition in the 110 meter hurdles from a US star, David Oliver, who has a season best in this event of 12.94 seconds. Liu's season best is 13 seconds flat.

Here's an Oliver biography.

Due respect to Oliver, but this blog has adopted Liu as its track-and-field fav, and we'll be cheering him on.  Besides, it's a good bet he won't be suffering from jet lag the way Oliver might be at the Daegu competition!

And there's London next year, i.e. the 2012 Olympics.  I'm psyched already.

Chinese Track Star on the Comeback Trail

Two years ago at about this time the Olympics were underway in China, and I wrote an entry here about the host country's track-and-field star, Liu Xiang, who surprisingly withdrew from the men's 110 meter hurdles.

Just one year ago about this time I wrote a follow-up. Despite early conspiracy theories, Liu's injuries of 2008 had turned out to be real enough to have kept him out of competition entirely during the intervening period.

So: what is up with Liu now?

I am happy to report that he is backin active competition. Last November, he raced at the Asian Athletics Championships in Guangzhou, China, taking gold in the 110 meter hurdles. The following month he again took gold in games held in Hong Kong.

In May of this year, he participated in the Diamond League Games, in his hometown of Shanghai. I have no idea whether he came in first or last or anywhere in between in his signature event there.

Now he is somewhere in the US for medical treatment on the crucial foot. I wish him well, and hereby appoint him the official track-and-field star of this blog.

From Liu to Lu.

About a year ago, while the Beijing Olympic Games were underway, I wrote a post about Liu Xiang, a wonderful track-and-field athlete who withdrew from the Men's 110 meter hurdles under circumstances that some considered mysterious. I thought I'd provide a bit of a follow up here.

The damage done by the injury that forced Liu out of that Olympics was significant enough that he has done no competing this year, either. At least not thus far this year. There is at least some speculation he may have to hang up his cleats for good, though he has made no such announcement yet.

Meanwhile, the hot new phenom in the Chinese track-and-field scene, who says he draws his inspiration from Liu's career, is Lu Jiateng, portrayed in the photo I've attached.

Lu took gold at the Asian Youth Games in Singapore, finishing the 110-meter hurdle in 13.96 seconds. He'll need to shave at least a second off of that to compete at the very highest level, but I'm told he's worth watching.

So best of luck to Liu in rehab and Lu in his ongoing career.