Daily Lesson from Life 18 August 2008

"Was it injury or pressure?

Hurdler Liu Xiang's unexpected exit at the Olympics was a disappointment for many. -Mon, Aug 18, 2008 Reuters

BEIJING - HE Sheng came to the Olympics just to watch Liu Xiang defend his 110 metre hurdles crown and instead saw him limp away from his first-round heat with the dashed hopes of a nation weighing on his shoulders.

After a false start, Liu, whose face adorns advertising billboards across the country, clutched his right thigh and walked off the Bird's Nest stadium track on Monday.

'I am extremely disappointed,' He said. 'I think he may have wanted to win too much and could have caved under the pressure... The injury may be an excuse.'

His tearful coach, Sun Haiping, later told reporters Liu had two injuries, one to his Achilles heel and one in his leg, and that he only withdrew because he had no other choice.

'I feel like I am being fooled,' Beijing student Yu Zuoliang said. 'What happened to him?' Liu had won gold in Athens in 2004 and was China's best hope for success in the showpiece track events. He ranks alongside basketball player Yao Ming as China's most famous athlete.

Some sympathised with an athlete who had 1.3 billion people cheering him on."

This is indeed a shock. Much has been expected of him after his groundbreaking win in Athens in 2004. What happened this morning will not be known until we hear from Liu Xiang himself. All the speculation and all the expressed disappointment and some, in my opinion, merciless criticism that he has caved in to pressure and what not were totally uncalled for.

I just saw the replay on the TV again. He was grimacing when he was at the 'get set-ready-go' position, he bolted out of the block but someone else faulted. But then he was in pain and walked away with his number in his hand. The whole 80k+ audience fell into silence. Some were in tears when they realized Liu Xiang has walked away from the heat!

I like to salute Liu Xiang for a number of reasons:

1. He is a young Chinese man with a down-to-earth approach to stardom. At least from the little knowledge I know about him from reading news about him;

2. I have heard his interview with CNN previously and he was articulate and speak a lot of sense. I like that;

3. He has shattered the myth that Asian, or more precisely, Chinese has no chance in the sprint event! Ever!! His achievement is groundbreaking. He has shown subsequently that it was not a flash in the pan situation when he competed and won numerous races in the Grand Prix races. The pressure on him must be tremendous. Nothing that I will ever understand no matter how hard I try. Even if he did succumbed to the unbearable burden of expectation of 1.3B people, I will not blame him for that. Of course, no one can say for sure what actually happened to him - was it the injury or the pressure that did him in.

Liu Xiang, I wish you well and there is nothing you have to feel bad about. You must be the most disappointed man. No one need to tell you how you felt.

I wish you all the best in the journey of recovery - from your injury to the body and heart, from being cruelly labelled 'names' that some will pin on you. In my mind, you are special and you have done China proud with that unique feast in Athens in 2004. Nothing can take that away from you.

There will be more opportunities for more glories if you want to.