Liu Xiang achieved godlike status in China after becoming the first male Chinese athlete to win a gold medal in Olympic track and field history. Furthermore, he became the first Chinese athlete to complete the 'triple crown' of athletics: world record holder, world champion and Olympic champion.

Few would have predicted he would go on to break Colin Jackson's long-standing 110m hurdles record when, in 2001, he won at the East Asian Games in Osaka, Japan, with a time of 13.42 seconds. However, it wasn't long before he started whittling that mark down, winning at the World University Games in Beijing in a time of 13.33s.

Preparations for the 2004 Athens Olympics went excellently for Liu, he beat his idol Allen Johnson at an IAAF race in Japan, setting a new personal best of 13.06 in the process. The stage was set for Xiang to do something special at the ensuing Games and he didn't disappoint. Liu produced one of the finest performances witnessed on the track, equalling Jackson's 1993 world record of 12.91 to win the gold medal, and in doing so became only the sixth man to post a sub-13 second time.

Traditionally, hurdlers are small, agile athletes. However, at 6ft 2in and 85kg, Liu defies logic. He has shown astonishing athleticism by modifying his technique to ensure he maximises his attributes. To avoid alternating his lead leg, Liu has adapted his naturally long stride to cope with the three-step pattern in-between hurdles.

After claiming a silver medal at the World Championships in 2005, Liu set pulses racing by recording a new world record at the Super Grand Prix in Lausanne, crossing the line in an astonishing 12.88 (this has since been lowered by Cuba's Dayron Robles). At the World Championships in 2007, he swapped silver for gold, triumphing in a blistering time of 12.95.

Liu arrived at his home Olympics in 2008 with the weight of expectation on his shoulders. He was China's national treasure and was widely tipped to defend his crown. However, great anticipation turned to despair when Liu pulled up injured before his bid for gold even got going. After a false start by another competitor in his first-round heat, the icon of Chinese sport left the track - much to the bemusement of his adoring fans inside the Bird's Nest.

After 13 months on the sidelines, nursing his injured Achilles, Liu returned to competition at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix. However, his right foot was still causing him problems and he was forced to take a six-month break in 2010. He looked back to his best at the 2010 Asian Games, cruising to victory with a run of 13.09. At the start of 2011, Liu warned his rivals that he had been working on a new start technique, designed to "reduce my distance from them in the first half of the race".

Arriving in London as one of the favourites to win Olympic gold, Liu had the chance to avenge his heartbreaking ordeal in Beijing, but suffered a carbon copy disaster as he strained his Achilles in the heats, failing to clear the first hurdle.

Career high:
Equalling Colin Jackson's world record mark of 12.91s to win gold at the 2004 Olympics.

Career low:
The poster boy of the Beijing 2008 Games, Xiang had been hiding a chronic inflammation in his right Achilles tendon ahead of the his home Olympics and the injury prevented him from defending his title in front of his adoring fans.

Quotes:
"It changes the opinion that Asian countries don't get good results in sprint races. I want to prove to all the world that Asians can run very fast." Liu Xiang, 2004

Trivia:
Liu donated more than $360,000 to 2008 Sichuan earthquake relief efforts