Liu Xiang of China set a new 110 metres hurdles world record on a stunning night in Lausanne Tuesday , breaking the record he shared with Britain's Colin Jackson.

Having endured soccer's World Cup finals minus their own national team, few sights could warm Chinese hearts more than hurdler Liu 's half-naked dash draped in his country's flag.

Liu Xiang of China celebrates setting a new world record in the men's 110-metre race at the IAAF Super Grand Prix athletics meeting in Lausanne July 11, 2006. Liu won the race in a world record time of 12.88 seconds. [Reuters]

Liu's spontaneous act of joy after smashing the 110 metres hurdles world record with a time of 12.88 seconds at yesterday's grand prix meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, proved too infectious to ignore in local media reports.

"Bare-chested and madly dashing about with wings of the national flag," cheered a headline in news web portal, sina.com.

"Little Liu, you're too great!" said another carried by the official All-China Sports Federation website.

While Liu's triumph was not televised and happened as China enjoyed a well-deserved post-World Cup sleep, notes of congratulation from thousands of well-wishers appeared within hours of the race.

"If marrying, marry Liu Xiang in a hurry!" suggested one amorous commentator.

Liu himself was happy to break the usual American and European monopoly of track and field success.

"I'm the only yellow-skinned athlete who can beat the Europeans and Americans," Sina.com quoted the 22-year-old as saying.

Liu, who also holds the world junior record of 13.12 set in July 2002 in Lausanne, ran a victory lap, shirtless and waving to the crowd, before sitting on the track clock that showed his record time.

Liu's coach, Sun Haiping, was satisfied, not only at his protege's "excellent result" but also the prospect of less media pressure.

"Before, at every event, journalists would all be asking him when he would break the world record... It's broken now, so don't ask again!" Sina.com quoted him as saying, adding that Liu could break the record again at any event if he was in form.

"We were so excited that we couldn't sleep after the call," said Liu's mother Ji Fenhua.

She thought it just a question of will for her son to set a new mark in the future, sina.com reported.

"When he wants to break the world record, he will. If he doesn't, he won't!" the web portal quoted her as saying.

Liu's father was less swept away by his son's achievement and the resulting chorus of national pride, saying he would not be leaving the family home in Shanghai to pick his son up in Beijing on his return -- or providing any special presents for his July 13 birthday on Thursday.

"That's too much trouble! I'll wait for him here, make him something nice to eat," Sohu.com quoted him as saying.

"Isn't the world record the best present he could have?"