China stunned as superstar hurdler Liu Xiang limps out of the Olympics … shattering the hopes of 1.3 billion people

China watched horrified today as their hurdling hero Liu Xiang hobbled from the track and had to withdraw after running just a few steps.Xiang, the poster boy of the Beijing Games and the first and, so far, only man from China to have won an Olympic athletics gold medal, had carried the hopes of 1.3 billion Chinese.

But they were cruelly dashed in the early hours as he failed to even compete in the heats in defence of his 110metres hurdles title thanks to injury

Xiang, who equalled Britain’s Colin Jackson’s 12.91sec world record in winning the gold medal in Athens four years ago, was clearly distraught at being unable to try to fulfil his nation’s Olympic dream.

Despite China’s ability to win medals at a huge range of other sports, with 55 golds so far, Liu’s pre-eminence at the centrepiece of the Beijing Olympics was crucial to the nation’s pride.

China, as Australia had done in Sydney eight years ago, wanted to enjoy a Cathy Freeman moment, and Liu’s slender shoulders carried that weight.

Liu’s popularity in the world’s most populous nation in the years leading to the Beijing Games has brought him tremendous rewards, but also incredible pressure of expectation.

Tickets for Thursday evening’s session, and the 110m hurdles final, had become a currency of their own in Beijing. All of Beijing is adorned with massive hoardings carrying his picture.

‘If he does not win at the Bird’s Nest Stadium,’ one Chinese coach had said, ‘anything else he achieves in his career will be worthless.’

Yet with dreadful timing, the tall 25-year-old who had dominated the event for four years, had struggled all this summer with injuries, reportedly to his hamstring.

He absented himself from the European track circuit while his rival, Cuba’s Dayron Robles, eclipsed him as world record-holder.

This morning, rumours that Liu would not even be unable to race at all filtered out from the warm-up track as other athletes noticed how difficult China’s most popular athlete found simple warm-up drills.

The high hurdles – the barriers measure 3ft 6in for men – quickly eke out any physical weaknesses in the protagonists and magnify them to the point of physical agony.

A strained Achilles tendon or a sore hamstring can be career-ending for a sprint hurdler.

The Bird’s Nest Stadium was full with 91,000 expectant Chinese for today’s morning heats session. All of them were eager to glimpse their hero.

Beneath the vast stands, Liu, in the holding area, could hear the murmurs of expectation as the packed stadium chanted his name.

His mounting frustrations were clear, though, as after a couple of abortive practice run-throughs over hurdles, he walked away and launched a fierce kick against the wall.

Yet still Liu persisted, in vain hope of being able to run.

Out on the track, he broke down after one hurdle of his final warm-up. He slumped to the track on hands and knees, panting in pain and anxiety.

Wearing bright yellow and red spiked racing shoes, mirroring the colours of his national team vest, he clutched at his right foot, trying to manipulate away the pain and soreness.

When the starter called to their marks the six athletes in his heat, including Allan Scott of Britain, Liu gritted his teeth and forced himself to back into the starting blocks.

A false start followed, and Liu tried to respond, but could only limp the 10 metres to the first hurdle.

He broke down with a degree of finality that forced him to leave the track, close to tears, as many in the crowd watched open-mouthed in stunned, silent disbelief. The stands emptied within moments.

Vividly illustrating the massive pressure and emotional investment put in Liu over the last four years, his coach Sun Haiping broke down and wept several times during a packed press conference.

Sun confirmed that Liu was forced to pull out after problems arose with his Achilles tendon, another flare up of chronic foot problems that have shadowed his entire career.

He said three doctors were with him throughout the morning trying desperately to rescue his starting bid.

‘No matter what they did, there was nothing they could do,’ Sun said, in tears.’Whatever they did it was useless because the injury is on his heel, which takes the most force. Whenever he stood up, he fell down.’

‘Let me repeat,’ said Feng Shouyong, the Chinese team’s head coach, ‘Liu Xiang would not withdraw unless the pain in unbearable.’