Word: hurdler
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...brightest of these stars is Liu Xiang, a 110-m hurdler whose world-record-breaking sprints disprove the notion that Chinese bodies are somehow inferior to foreign ones in high-piston sporting events. (After winning a gold in Athens, Liu said his "victory has proved that athletes with yellow skin can run as fast as those with black and white skin.") When I met Liu shortly before Athens, I was struck by his individualism; unlike many Chinese Olympians who didn't choose their sporting careers, Liu actually liked hurdling. Although he did mumble some variation of the patriotic theme...
...Athens Olympics, his legs pumping to clock a world record-tying time of 12.91 sec., the panic in sports announcers' voices was palpable. Even though China had touted the 21-year-old Shanghai native as a medal hopeful, few in the West knew that China had a decent hurdler. Stunned by the victory, a Greek TV announcer stammered: "In first place, it's ? it's a Chinese man." Foiled by the X in Liu's given name, the broadcaster sidestepped the problem: "He is Mr. Liu. Congratulations to Mr. Liu from China." The world had better get used...
...Allegations of political cynicism have been known to stir as much admiration as horror in France, but French tolerance for such behavior may be reaching its limit. This summer, President Chirac issued a presidential pardon to Guy Drut, a former Olympic hurdler who had been convicted for taking a fictitious job in Mayor Chirac's municipal administration. But when the government then claimed that thus pardoned, Drut should be able to assume a spot on the ethics committee of the International Olympic Committee, public reaction was swift and severe, and the government backed...
...story?boy wins Olympic gold medal, boy is dizzied by newfound fame, boy crashes out of competition. China's champion hurdler LIU XIANG seemed to be following that trajectory after his golden turn in Athens, where he tied the world record in the 110-m hurdles. The onslaught of patriotic obligations and commercial contracts overwhelmed the laid-back Shanghai native. Even as his visage was plastered on billboards nationwide, Liu lost his athletic focus, spending less time in training and consequently injuring his knee. Nevertheless, by the summer, Liu's off-track burden had eased, and in August...
Nike swung into action even before most Chinese knew they had a new hero. The moment hurdler Liu Xiang became the country's first Olympic medalist in a short-distance speed event--he claimed the gold with a new Olympic record in the 110-m hurdles on Aug. 28--Nike launched a television advertisement in China showing Liu destroying the field and superimposed a series of questions designed to set nationalistic teeth on edge. "Asians lack muscle?" asked one. "Asians lack the will to win?" Then came the kicker, as Liu raised his arms above the trademark Swoosh...