Ahead of Liu Xiang’s 100-meter hurdles heat last week, I along with most of the country was in front of my television shouting “Liu Xiang, go, go!” I could hear the groans of disappointment echo through my apartment after he suffered his unfortunate tumble.

    I think he’s still a great hurdler. He’s not a superman but a man who is super. He fell down but he didn’t lose faith in himself, and he will continue following his dream with passion.

    Liu has been struggling with injuries for a long time. On top of that, he has the overwhelming pressure of a billion people placing their hopes on his shoulders. Just as sports commentator Huang Jianxiang once said, “It’s unfair and cruel that Liu had such a burden placed on him.”

    In spite of missing out on the chance to step on an Olympic podium this time, he has made every effort but met with outlandish misfortune. Whatever happens now, he will always have Athens in 2004, when he made his own outstanding contribution to Chinese sport.

    For years, China’s track and field team has relied excessively on Liu for its big moments on the international stage.

    The achievements he has made in his sports career will never cease to inspire us, which means that he only fell a few steps but didn’t forget the Olympic spirit.

    To me, he is still a great warrior, and I speak for everyone when I wish him a speedy recovery.