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China's Liu Xiang to seek advice on injury in US

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-10-29 14:43

Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang will leave on Wednesday for the United States to seek advice on the Achilles injury that ripped him off the chance to defend his 110-meter hurdles title at the Beijing Olympics in August.

The 25-year-old Athens gold medallist will meet five medical experts in three cities, China Youth Daily reported on Wednesday.

Hurdler Liu Xiang of China attends a welcome reception for the 2008 Shanghai Golden Grand Prix track and field event in Shanghai September 19, 2008. [Agencies]

"Many think that Liu's arrival is seeking a good cure, but truth is that we want the experts to take a look at Liu's foot and hear from them on the injury," Feng Shuyong, one of the top officials with China's athletics authorities, was quoted by the newspaper as saying on Wednesday.

"We are trying the Chinese traditional and western medicine both and it is working pretty well now," said Feng. "We want to know whether the foreign experts make the same diagnose and offer the similar treatment on Liu."

"After the trip, Liu will consult the Chinese doctors and weigh up all the options to see whether we need to improve the cure."

Liu was a strong favourite to win a gold medal in 110m hurdles at the August Games, but withdrew after pulling up limp at the start of his first heat.

Since the Olympic woes, Liu has only opened two of his training sessions to the public in order to shun the limelight that could interfere with his recovery.

According to Liu's coach Sun Haiping, the Shanghai native has come back well but needs more work to get to where he was before the Beijing Games.

"Rest without any rehabilitation training is absolutely not working, which could rule him out of tighter training and competition. So we also hope the experts could provide some useful advice on the rehabilitative training," Sun told China Youth Daily.

"Now, Liu is able to jog in light training," the coach added.

Earlier, some experts suggested Liu return next June and the two stops of the IAAF Grand Prix series in the United States could lead him up to the world championships next August.

"It is not all the Achilles' heel that matters," Sun stressed, "it is also about the mindset thing. It's been around 70 days after the Olympic exit. Liu seems that he is doing fine with it, but in fact the shadow of the setback which was cast on him is huge."

"The coach, the family and his friends all talk to him and that helps. However, we know about athletes and we will get him a psychologist if he needs."