I recommend this...

No Cathy Freeman Moment for China

Editorial Review

Editorial Review

Since Day One of the Beijing Games, Chinese athletes have claimed well over 30 gold medals, some of them expected, others surprising, and there are more to come.

The world's most populous nation is in the midst of an Olympic sports frenzy.

But in China the biggest story of these Beijing Olympics is the gold medal they are not going to win.

Four years ago, Liu Xiang made history as China's first track gold medallist when he won the 110 metre hurdles.

He - and about a billion others - started planning and dreaming of Beijing before he had even left the track in Athens.

Liu was to be China's Cathy Freeman, and his showdown with the man who took his world record, Cuban Dayron Robles, in the final at 9.45pm local time on Thursday, August 21, would have rivalled the Opening Ceremony as the most watched event of the Games in China.

But it's not going to happen, after Liu broke down with an Achilles tendon injury as he moved out of the starting blocks when there was a false start in his heat.

And so, despite unprecedented success at their home Games, the Chinese are crying.

Some are upset for their national hero, who won't be able to fulfil his destiny.

Many are worried that the injury may end his career.

Others are crying for China, because it will miss out on the glory that would have come with a Liu victory.

And, believe it or not, others are crying because they are frustrated that Liu wasn't enough of a hero to run through the pain. Yes, some locals think he didn't try hard enough.

They may be very harsh judges, but there's no doubt they're all very sad.

Murray Brust in Beijing for Citysearch

View Citysearch's TV guide for details of Olympic Games coverage.