Once known as the "100-meter flying man," he broke world records multiple times and brought glory to his country. Yet, due to an injury that forced him to withdraw from a race, he was branded with the shameful labels of "coward" and "deserter." His 45 trophies could not outweigh the two falls that subjected him to widespread criticism and abuse online, leaving him speechless in the face of such attacks. It was not until 2024 that the true reason behind Liu Xiang's downfall was revealed when his former superior, Li Yuyi, was put on trial for embezzlement, exposing the final truth about Liu's decline!
So, what did Li Yuyi do to Liu Xiang that ruined his future?
Liu Xiang, the 100-meter flying man, has deeply experienced how terrifying the concept of "only gold medals matter" can be.
In the early 20th century, the Chinese people had little interest in track and field events. These sports competitions were largely dominated by black athletes. And our country's strategy was also focused on small and refined sports competitions.
It wasn't until 2000 when Liu Xiang won third place at the indoor competition in Lyon, France. This was Liu Xiang's first gold medal and the beginning of Chinese track and field athletes making their mark on the world stage.
Afterwards, Liu Xiang became a hot new star in the sports circle. He did not disappoint expectations, continuously striving and improving, starting his brilliance in Asian competitions.
Of course, Liu Xiang's breakthrough event was the 2004 Athens Olympics. With a time of 12.91 seconds, he broke the Olympic record and defeated British athlete Colin Jackson, setting a new world record.
After winning the championship, he excitedly wrapped himself in the national flag and said, "Who says Asians can't win an Olympic top eight finish? I've proven it to everyone today!" This gold medal was China's first men's Olympic champion in track and field events and a myth for Chinese athletes in the men's 110-meter hurdles.
Afterwards, Liu Xiang did not rest on his laurels but continued to progress. In 2006, at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Super Grand Prix, he set a new world record in the men's 110-meter hurdles with a time of 12.88 seconds, breaking a 13-year-old record.
Such achievements made foreigners no longer dare to underestimate China's track and field strength. Representing China in competitions, Liu Xiang won 36 championships and set five world records in a total of 48 races of various sizes.
However, just as Liu Xiang reached the peak of his career, another Olympics caused this shining star to fall.
Since winning the Olympic title in 2004, Liu Xiang has been etched into the hearts of every Chinese person. These four years of remarkable achievements also made everyone eagerly anticipate Liu Xiang's return to the Beijing Olympics.
After all, it was a home game, and many people had already "tied" the medal around Liu Xiang's neck before the competition.
But who would have thought that during the preliminary rounds, Liu Xiang suddenly announced his withdrawal from the competition due to a recurrence of his right Achilles tendon injury.
This immediately caused the audience to lose control, and a torrent of abuse swept over him.
Afterwards, in media interviews, everyone confronted Liu Xiang with accusations.
Liu Xiang did not say much, only apologizing to the camera.
The past glory seemed to dissipate like smoke after the failure at the Beijing Olympics.
Various conspiracy theories and accusations of "fake running for hundreds of millions" flooded in, and even the label of "deserter" was placed on Liu Xiang.
This made Sun Haiping, Liu Xiang's coach at the time, heartbroken.
Only he knew that Liu Xiang's body was already at its limit.
As early as 2006, Liu Xiang accidentally injured himself during training.
For athletes, getting injured is a very serious matter. If they don't recover well, it will seriously affect their future careers.
It might even bring an end to their athletic career.
Liu Xiang listened carefully to what the doctor said and recuperated in the hospital for several months.
But because of these few months, he missed two World Championships.
Liu Xiang was unwilling to give up. As soon as he recovered, he returned to the track and set a good record that broke the world record.
But each burst of power was causing severe damage to his feet.
Looking at Liu Xiang's timeline of victories, we all know that he was constantly training and competing.
There was no rest in between, and by the time of the 2008 Olympics, Liu Xiang's foot injury recurred, very seriously.
Sun Haiping wanted to stop Liu Xiang from participating, but Liu Xiang insisted, saying that even if he fell, it would be on the track.
It was this wrong decision that led to Liu Xiang being subjected to anger and criticism from the entire internet.
No matter how he explained afterward that it was due to his foot injury that he withdrew from the race, the public could not accept it.
However, Liu Xiang did not lose heart or become discouraged. Instead, he went back to recover from his injuries.
From 2008 to 2012, Liu Xiang continued to participate in track and field competitions, winning championships almost every time.
On one side, netizens did not understand, while on the other side, Liu Xiang maintained a stable mindset and continued to bring honor to the country.
Just as public opinion was gradually improving, the 2012 London Olympics completely erased Liu Xiang from the track and field scene.
During the first shot of the London track and field preliminaries, Liu Xiang fell.
The reason was an Achilles tendon rupture.
Overwhelmed by pain, he knew it was time to draw the curtain on his career.
Liu Xiang stood up, hopped on one foot to the finish line, kissed the hurdle, and bid farewell to the red track.
From then on, "deserter" and "coward" became labels attached to Liu Xiang.
In 2015, Liu Xiang announced his retirement.
But netizens did not let him go, until his former superior, Li Yuyi, was put on trial for embezzlement, revealing Liu Xiang's grievances.
In 2023, Li Yuyi was investigated for suspected violations of the law.
In 2024, Li Yuyi was sentenced to eleven years in prison and fined one million yuan for embezzlement and bribery of 12 million yuan. All illegally obtained property was confiscated.
Li Yuyi was once the director of the Shanghai Sports Bureau and Liu Xiang's immediate superior during his service for the country.
When news of his trial broke, Han Qiaosheng posted an article revealing the truth.
It turned out that when Liu Xiang's foot was severely injured, Li Yuyi, for the sake of political achievements, still insisted that he compete.
He even resorted to封闭疗法（a type of injection to temporarily alleviate pain）, completely disregarding Liu Xiang's physical condition.
This ultimately led to the rupture of the Achilles tendon and the end of his career.
Although after retiring, Liu Xiang welcomed a peaceful and happy retired life, perhaps there is still some regret in his heart.
Liu Xiang, who could stand at the center of the IAAF poster, has had an influence that has long gone international.
Conclusion
Liu Xiang, who could stand at the center of the IAAF poster, has had an influence that has long gone international.
This also serves as a warning to us that for any sporting event, we should not adhere to the concept of "only gold medals matter."
On the competitive arena, there are no permanent champions, and world champions are not forever.
Everyone gets old, and with the passage of time, they will eventually step down.
Especially for athletes, it is a young person's game, and no athlete can win a championship every time.
We should understand the sacrifices made by athletes; they are all heroes deserving of praise!