Aching Liu withdraws from 110 Olympic hurdles

 Liu Xiang of China walks off injured in the Men's 110m Hurdles Heats at the National Stadium on Day 10 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 18, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)

BEIJING (AP)—Defending champion Liu Xiang pulled up lame and withdrew from the first round of the Olympic 110-meter hurdles race Monday, leaving the host country without one of its biggest stars.

Liu, whose hamstring has been an issue for months, limped out of the block at the starting gun, took a few awkward steps, then pulled up when the second gun sounded to signal a false start.

That false start did not disqualify anybody. Liu nonetheless tore the number off his leg, turned around and walked into the tunnel, his Olympic hopes—and the great hopes of his country—dashed before he ran a single race.

He was seen limping and kicking the wall in the warm-up room and grimacing on the track before the hurdlers even lined up for the final heat of first-round qualifying.

Liu got a warm ovation from the Bird’s Nest crowd when his name was announced. Soon after, as he kneeled into the starting block, he grabbed his right knee and winced in pain.

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