Liu Xiang withdrew in the Heats due to tendon injury.
What do you think about this? Let down for China's high hopes? Understandable? What will happen to him from now on?
Liu Xiang withdrew in the Heats due to tendon injury.
What do you think about this? Let down for China's high hopes? Understandable? What will happen to him from now on?
To read up on this, check out:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/20...nt_9468166.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olym...cs/7567283.stm
Understandable. Treat his wounds now and he can have all the chances to seize glory for his country in the future. Run through the pain barrier now and he may ruin his own future.
It's definitely understandable. Personal safety should still be above everything else.
I also think safety is paramount. Liu Xiang made the right choice to step out today if he was injured.
I think its also a massive let down for the people of China. They have been building up the Liu Xiang hype for 4 years. With constant replays of his Athen Olympics victory and endless advertisments on TV, posters, internet etc. Apparently he knew of the injury 6 years ago, and he obviously did not see the need to warn his countrymen about it, as well as his sponsors. Liu Xiang will be 29 by London Olympics. If he continues to keep form, he might still be fit for it.
Sorry if I sounded a little harsh but I feel massively dissapointed.
I also blame the pressure build-up on him to do well. But Liu Xiang made the right choice today to say NO rather than to continue and risk further injury.
It is disappointing definitely, I was also hoping for a China gold medal in track. No point in pushing himself while he's down with injury, he's not going to win and he'll just aggravate his body even more.
留着青山在,不怕没柴烧
I don't know who he is, but if the guy is injured, then he should not be in the competition. He is not going to win anyway...
...
He's the only Chinese who have won a gold on track, and short distance track.
Imagine Donovan Bailey (who's actually Canadian bred, not Jamaican) getting injured in the 100m heats when he was about to defend his Olympic title in say a Vancouver Olympics.
But yeah, why bother race. If you are carrying a niggle, you can't medal, well unless you are bolt (pfft running a race with shoes untied).
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I think he means that if he was injured, he should not compete, since he isn't going to win (while injured) anyways.
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Last edited by Ren Ying Ying; 08-18-08 at 10:14 PM.
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To present something I read on another forum (translated):
Liu Xiang quite possibly had an injury and most probably cannot win the medal again. He had 3 choices to choose from.
1) Compete and by a minute chance, win the Gold Medal. Be hailed as national hero for years to come. Not to mention the sponsorships that will be piling his way.
2) Compete, and lose. Chances are, Chinese crowd will not be interested in hearing any excuse if he actually competed in the finals and lost. He will lose sponsorships and fame very very quickly. (IMO I think competing as in appearing to be running fine, not like the American silver-medal hurdler who stopped half-way due to injuries.)
3) Not compete at all and claim it is because of injuries. Knowing option one is very unlikely due to poor personal level and strong opposition, and trying to prevent option two, Liu took this option. In this case, Liu can still be hailed as the best hurdler who simply did not compete due to injuries. This way, he can still maintain a fair number of his sponsorships and support.
It is also estimated that sponsors lost approximately 3 billion yuan due pre-purchased advertisement slots on TV, radio, internet, newspaper etc, as well as decreased sales.
Major losers are Nike, Visa, Coca Cola, Lenovo etc.