Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang has had “very successful” surgery on the injury that dashed his Olympic hopes and put his career in doubt, a senior official said on Sunday. The former 110m champion, who hobbled out of the stadium for a second successive Games when he ruptured his Achilles tendon, is now recovering well, according to China’s chef de mission Liu Peng. “After his tendon ruptured he’s received a lot of attention from the public and the media,” said Liu. “On the ninth of August, Liu Xiang went through a very successful surgery and the doctor who treated him is very famous.””Liu Xiang is recovering well, so he’s fine.” A Chinese official earlier told AFP that Liu had been in good spirits when he visited him in the Olympic village, despite his heartbreaking exit. Liu, 29, clattered into the first hurdle in his opening heat and fell heavily. After being helped up, he hopped the length of the course, kissed the last hurdle and was embraced by fellow competitors. “He’s in pain but he’s very brave and optimistic,” Chinese Olympic committee spokesman Zhang Haifeng said, the day before the operation. “He’s in bed in the athletes village. I visited him yesterday and talked a little bit and gave him some greetings. It’s really a sad thing but his spirit inspires young people very much.”
