Liu, the world champion and the host nation's best hope of an athletics gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, pulled up after a false start and hobbled down the tunnel to leave the Bird's Nest stadium in stunned silence.
He was clearly out of sorts and grimaced in pain as he went down into the blocks.
After a false start, he stumbled forward for a few paces obviously hindered by the injury to his right leg before walking away and leaving a packed Bird's Nest stadium in stunned silence.
"Liu Xiang has two injuries, one to his Achilles and one in his leg. One of the injuries is an old injury," his tearful coach and mentor Sun Haiping told a news conference.
"It's the end of the Achilles tendon in his right foot," he added. "He will be back for sure."
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China's Xiang Liu retires from the first round of the men's 110m hurdles at the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 18, 2008.
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Liu Xiang of China grimaces in pain during his warm-up before the start of his 110m hurdles heat of the athletics competition in the National Stadium at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 18, 2008.
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A spectator reacts after China's Liu Xiang failed to compete in the men's first round 110m hurdles heat 6 at the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 18, 2008.
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Liu Xiang of China grimaces in pain as he settles into the starting block of his 110m hurdles heat of the athletics competition in the National Stadium at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 18, 2008. Liu failed to start his 110 metres hurdles first-round heat on Monday.
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Security guards cry after China's Olympic champion Liu Xiang failed to start his 110 metres hurdles first-round heat of the athletics competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, August 18, 2008.
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Sun Haiping (R), coach of China's Liu Xiang, cries during a news conference with China athletics team's head coach Feng Shuyong at the National Stadium during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 18, 2008.
