Injured hurdler Liu Xiang to undergo surgery

Injured Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang will have surgery on his Achilles tendon in Britain after crashing out of his 110-metre hurdles heat at the London Olympics.

The Chinese team confirmed Liu, who shot to fame after winning gold at the Athens Games, had ruptured his tendon.

An Achilles injury also forced him to pull out of the Beijing Olympics.

The problem returned to haunt the 29-year-old, who had won silver at the 2011 World Championships, in London and he failed to clear the first hurdle in Tuesday's heat.

Liu then hopped down the track, kissing the final hurdle before being consoled by his fellow competitors.

He left the track in a wheelchair and was immediately taken to hospital.

Later in the the final 2008 champion Dayron Robles of Cuba also suffered an injury, tearing his hamstring.

American Aries Merritt won the gold medal, Jason Richardson the silver and Jamaican Hansle Parchment the bronze.

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