Liu Xiang

In 2002, Liu launched his career in fine style by winning the first IAAF Grand Prix in Lausanne with a world youth and Asian record time of 13.12 seconds in the 110 metre hurdles.

He has since made the finals at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics and IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics (twice); two of the three cases has seen American hurdling great Allen Johnson take the major prize, but in the last in May at Osaka, Liu managed to beat Johnson with an Asian-record time of 13.06 seconds.

Still young, Liu has improved steadily, and won a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in the 110 meters hurdles event. In the final, he equaled the world record of 12.91 seconds held since 1993 by Colin Jackson of Wales. This is the first time an athlete of non-African descent has dipped under 13 seconds for the 110 meter hurdles.

His 2004 Olympic gold medal was the first in a men's track and field event for China. Liu is one of China's most commercially successful athletes and has emerged as a cultural icon. He is the first Chinese athlete to achieve the "triple crown" of athletics: World Record Holder, World Champion and Olympic Champion. He was the favorite to win another gold in the 110 metre hurdles at the Beijing Olympics, but much to the dismay of his fans, he had to withdraw from competition at the last moment after a false start and aggravation to a previously unrevealed injury.

Gender: Male

Birth Place: Shanghai, China

Birth Date: July 13, 1983

Hight: 1.89 m

Weight: 74kg

Speciality: 110m hurdles

Education: Huadong Normal University

Hobby: Singing, computer

Registered with: Shanghai

Personal best: 2006 Lausanne IAAF Super Grand Prix - Champion, 12"88

Major achievements