Injury ends Liu bid

Host nation hero Liu Xiang’s dreams of Olympic glory ended when he was forced to pull out of his 110m hurdles heat.

The defending champion, who has been struggling with a hamstring injury, pulled up in front of the first hurdle after a false start in front of a shocked Bird’s Nest crowd.

Liu, clearly in pain, was helped away from the track, unable to take part in the restarted race.

Liu was expected to be one of the stars of the Games for China, just as Cathy Freeman had been for Australia at Sydney 2000.