BEIJING, Aug 19, 2008 (AFP) - Chinese athletics hero Liu Xiang has apologised to his fans for pulling out of the Olympics with an unbearable'' foot injury, while vowing to rise again. Liu and the nation's dream of gold in the 110m hurdles ended with just a few steps at the Bird’s Nest’’ National Stadium on Monday, when he hobbled off the track with what transpired to be a long-term problem with his right foot.
I just feel so sorry. Because there were so many people supporting me, I told myself I had to run, but I just couldn't do it,'' Liu said in interviews with the state-run press that were published on Tuesday. In one interview with state television on Monday night, Liu said the pain in his foot was simply too much. It was unbearable. If I had finished the race, I would have risked my tendon. I could not describe my feeling at that moment,’’ he said.
``I never quit easily. I am not that type of person.’’
The 25-year-old sought to reassure his fans that they had not seen the last of him on the track.
I think there will be a day when I will be better, I think now the main thing is to quicken the recovery process, to make the Achilles tendon better,'' he said. There will be more opportunities next year, there will be more opportunities later… I must be optimistic, I can’t complain about destiny.
I'm one that can't accept failure easily, I will rise up, it's in my character.'' Liu's shock withdrawal from the heat deprived China's 1.3 billion people of what they had widely expected to be their most memorable moment of the Games -- gold in one of the high-profile track events. Liu became the first Chinese man to win an athletics gold with his victory in the 110m hurdles at the Athens Olympics, ensuring hero worship in a nation that has traditionally been successful in lower-profile sports. He spent the next four years as one of China's two biggest sporting personalities, alongside basketball star Yao Ming, and raked in millions of dollars through a dizzying array of sponsorship deals. Their fame in China was partly built on the fact they had succeeded in sporting endeavours traditionally dominated by western nations. In this light, China had pinned its hopes on Liu winning Thursday's final of the 110m hurdles becoming the symbolic high point of the Beijing Olympics, capping off the nation's overall dominance at the Games. Nevertheless, China's state-run media rallied around Liu on Tuesday, advising the population to support their fallen idol. To withdraw from a race is not to give up… Liu Xiang had no choice and this was a moment of great courage,’’ the Beijing News said in comments echoed by other papers.
``For us spectators, if we respect the human spirit, then we absolutely must understand Liu’s decision.’’