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Year 110 (CX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Priscinus and Scipio (or, less frequently, year 863 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 110 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

Events[link]

By place[link]

Roman Empire[link]

• The Roman Empire has more than 75,000 kilometers (47,000 mi) of roads.
• The Forum of Trajan is constructed in Rome by the Syrian architect Apollodorus of Damascus.
• Tacitus is named proconsul of the province of Asia (110–113).

Asia[link]

• Caravans make regular departures from Luoyang with Chinese ginger, cassia (a type of cinnamon), and silk to be bartered in Central Asia for gold, silver, glassware, pottery, cloth, and intaglio gems from Rome.

By topic[link]

Arts and sciences[link]

• Suetonius publishes Of illustrious men (De viris illustribus).

Births[link]

• Hua Tuo, Chinese doctor

Deaths[link]

• Duan Xi, Chinese Protector General of the Western Regions during the Han Dynasty

References[link]

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (September 2009)

Bobby Womack
Bobby Womack performing "Stylo" with Mos Def and Gorillaz.
Background information
Birth name	Robert Dwayne Womack
Born	(1944-03-04) March 4, 1944 (age 68) Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Genres	Gospel, R&B, soul, rock and roll, doo-wop, funk, deep soul, soul blues, country soul, rock, jazz
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, musician, producer, instrumentalist, sideman
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	1952–present
Labels	Pennant, SAR, Him, Checker, United Artists, Minit, Beverly Glen Music, The Right Stuff, Solar, MCA, Columbia, Castle, Indigo Records, XL Recordings[1]
Associated acts	The Valentinos, Patti LaBelle, Sam Cooke, Cecil Womack, Womack and Womack, Mary Wells, Gorillaz
Website	Official website

Robert Dwayne "Bobby" Womack ( /ˈwoʊmæk/; born March 4, 1944) is an American singer-songwriter and musician.^[2] An active recording artist since the early 1960s where he started his career as the lead singer of his family musical group The Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing guitarist, Womack's career has spanned more than 50 years and has spanned a repertoire in the styles of R&B, soul, rock and roll, doo-wop, gospel, and country.

Womack wrote and originally recorded The Rolling Stones' first UK No. 1 hit, "It's All Over Now" and New Birth's "I Can Understand It" among other songs. As a singer he is most notable for the hits "Lookin' For a Love", "That's The Way I Feel About Cha", "Woman's Gotta Have It", "Harry Hippie", "Across 110th Street" and his 1980s hit "If You Think You're Lonely Now".

In 2009, Womack was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.^[3]

Biography[link]

1944-1966: Early life and career[link]

Born and raised in Cleveland's East 85th & Quincy area to Naomi Womack and Friendly Womack, Womack was the third of five brothers.^[4] Raised Baptist, their mother played organ in their church and their father was a minister and musician, often known to play guitar though he advised his sons to not touch the instrument while he was away. One night, eight-year-old Bobby, who was often playing it, broke a guitar string. After Friendly Womack fixed the string, he let Bobby play the guitar for him. According to Bobby later, Friendly was shocked by his son's talents as well as the talents of his other sons. Soon afterwards, he bought Bobby his own guitar and formed The Womack Brothers. The group toured the gospel circuit with their parents accompanying them on organ and guitar respectively. In 1954, the group under the moniker Curtis Womack and the Womack Brothers, the group issued the Pennant single, "Buffalo Bill". Bobby was only ten years old at the time.^[4]

Even though Curtis Womack often sang lead, Bobby Womack was allowed to sing alongside him showcasing his gruff baritone vocals in contrast to his older brother's smoother tenor. During performances, Bobby would sometimes imitate the role of a preacher. Sam Cooke discovered the group performing while he was still in the Soul Stirrers in 1956 and began mentoring the boys, promising them that he would help with their careers once he established himself. Within four years, Cooke had formed SAR Records and signed the quintet to the label. Bobby was sixteen. The group recorded two gospel sides before Cooke decided to have the boys switch over to pop music. Upon telling his father of the decision to go secular, an emotional Friendly Sr. told them that they had to leave the house. Cooke had the brothers move to Los Angeles.

Changing their name to The Valentinos, Cooke produced and arranged the group's first hit single, "Looking for a Love", which was a pop version of a gospel song they had released titled "Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray", written by Bobby. The song became a R&B hit and helped land the group a spot on James Brown's Revue. The group's next hit came in 1964 with the country-tinged "It's All Over Now", co-composed by Bobby. Their version was rising on the charts when The Rolling Stones covered it. Bobby was initially angry until he saw his first royalty check for the single after it had become a hit. The Valentinos' career was left shaky after Sam Cooke was shot and killed in a Los Angeles motel. Devastated by the news, the brothers disbanded and SAR Records folded. Bobby forged on a solo career, releasing sides for the Him and Checker labels without much success no thanks in part due to the controversy of his marriage to Cooke's widow, Barbara Campbell. By 1966, Womack had settled on session work.

1967-1972: Early solo career[link]

Womack worked at Chips Moman's American Studios in Memphis and played on recordings by Joe Tex and The Box Tops. Womack played guitar on several of Aretha Franklin's albums, including Lady Soul, but not on the hit song, "Chain of Fools", as erroneously reported. His work as a songwriter caught the eye of music executives after Wilson Pickett took a liking to some of the songs and insisted he recorded them. Among those songs included the hits, "I'm a Midnight Mover" and "I'm in Love".

In 1968, he signed with Minit Records and recorded his first solo album, Fly Me to the Moon, where he scored his first major hit with a cover of The Mamas & The Papas' "California Dreamin'". In 1969, Womack forged a partnership with Gábor Szabó and with Szabó, penned the instrumental, "Breezin'", later a hit for George Benson. Womack also worked with rock musicians Sly and the Family Stone and Janis Joplin, contributing vocals and guitar work on The Family Stone's accomplished album, There's a Riot Goin' On, and penning the ballad "Trust Me", for Joplin on her album, Pearl. Womack was one of the last people to speak to Joplin before her death in October 1970.

After two more albums with Minit, Bobby switched labels, signing with United Artists where he changed his attire and his musical direction with the album, Communication. The album bolstered his first top 40 hit, "That's the Way I Feel About Cha", which peaked at number two R&B and number twenty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in the spring of 1972.

1972-1985: Solo success[link]

Following Communication, Womack's profile was raised with two more albums, released in 1972. The first of which was Understanding, noted for the album track, "I Can Understand It", later covered by the funk band New Birth and a three-sibling lineup of Bobby's old group, the Valentinos, and two hit singles, "Woman's Gotta Have It" and "Harry Hippie", the latter song was written for Womack by Jim Ford in a country version, in which Womack re-arranged in an R&B version. "Harry Hippie" later became Womack's first to be certified gold.^[5] Contrary to popular belief, the song was not about Womack's brother Harry. "Woman's Gotta Have It" became Womack's first to hit number-one on the R&B charts.

Another hit album released after Understanding was the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film, Across 110th Street. The title track became popular during its initial 1972 release and later would be played during the opening scene of the film, Jackie Brown, years later. In 1973, Womack released another hit album, Facts of Life, and had a top 40 hit with "Nobody Wants You When You're Down and Out", an older song Sam Cooke had done years before.

In 1974, Womack released his most successful single during this period with a remake of his first hit single, "Lookin' for a Love". Bobby's solo version of the song became even more successful than the original with the Valentinos', becoming his second number-one hit on the R&B chart and peaking at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming his only hit to reach that high on the pop chart. The song was featured on the album, Lookin' for a Love Again and featured the minor charted "You're Welcome, Stop on By", later covered by Rufus & Chaka Khan. Womack's career began stalling after Womack suffered from the tragic news of his brother Harry's death. Womack continued to record albums with United Artists through 1975 and 1976 but with less success than previous albums. In 1975, Womack collaborated with Rolling Stones member Ronnie Wood, on Wood's second solo album, Now Look.

Womack languished with his own recordings during the late 1970s but continued to be a frequent collaborator with other artists, most notably Wilton Felder of The Crusaders. In 1981, Womack signed with Beverly Glen Records and had his first R&B top ten single in five years since the 1976 single Daylight with "If You Think You're Lonely Now", which peaked at number three on the R&B singles chart. He had two more R&B top ten singles during the 1980s including the Patti LaBelle duet, "Love Has Finally Come at Last" and "I Wish He Didn't Trust Me So Much". He had a hit featuring on the Wilton Felder single, "(No Matter How High I Get) I'll Still Be Looking Up to You".

1985-present: Later career and current work[link]

Womack's solo career started to slow down, however, after 1985, partially due to Womack's issues with drug addiction. After sobering up in the mid-1990s, he released the album, Resurrection and continued his performing career.

In 1989, Womack sang on Todd Rundgren's "For the Want of a Nail" on the album Nearly Human. In 1998, he performed George Gershwin's "Summertime" with The Roots for the Red Hot Organization's compilation album Red Hot + Rhapsody, a tribute to George Gershwin, which raised money for various charities devoted to increasing AIDS awareness and fighting the disease.

In 2010, Womack contributed lyrics and sang on "Stylo" alongside Mos Def, the first single from the third Gorillaz album, Plastic Beach. Womack was told to sing whatever was on his mind during the recording of "Stylo". "I was in there for an hour going crazy about love and politics, getting it off my chest", said Womack.^[6] He also provides vocals on the song "Cloud of Unknowing" in addition to the song "Bobby in Phoenix" on their December 2010 release "The Fall".

In early 2012 a new album was announced to be released on June 12th via XL Recordings. The name of the album will be The Bravest Man in the Universe and it will be produced by Damon Albarn and Richard Russell. The first Song "Please Forgive My Heart" was offered as a free download on XL Recordings' official website on March 8th 2012.^[7]

Legacy[link]

Jodeci's K-Ci Hailey, a notable admirer of Womack's work, covered "If You Think You're Lonely Now" in 1994. Hailey again covered Womack in 2006 with his rendition of "A Woman's Gotta Have It". The song is referenced in Mariah Carey's song "We Belong Together", a number-one hit in June 2005. Carey sings "I can't sleep at night / When you are on my mind / Bobby Womack's on the radio / Singing to me: 'If you think you're lonely now.'" In 2007, R&B singer Jaheim interpolated the song as "Lonely" on his album "The Making of a Man". Neo Soul Singer, Calvin Richardson also covered many of Womack's tunes.

Film director Quentin Tarantino used "Across 110th Street" (which, in a different version, had been the title song of the 1972 movie) in the opening and closing sequences of his 1997 film Jackie Brown. His work has been used in several other popular films, including Meet the Parents (2000), Ali (2001) and American Gangster (2007). A 2003 Saab commercial used Womack's interpretation of "California Dreamin'". In 2005, "Across 110th Street" appeared in the hit Activision video game True Crime: New York City. "Across 110th Street" was used in Rockstar Games video game Thug'z Depression:Live Or Die.

On the 1994 release 1-800-NEW-FUNK, Nona Gaye covered "Woman's Gotta Have It," produced by Prince and backed by his band, New Power Generation.

In 2008, Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child recorded her own version of his R&B hit "Daylight" with Travis McCoy of the Gym Class Heroes, which became a hit in the UK Singles Chart, where it was previously released as a single by Womack in 1976.

In 2009, Calvin Richardson was chosen to record a tribute album to Womack to coincide with Womack's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Grammy-nominated album was entitled Facts of Life: The Soul of Bobby Womack. It reached #30 on the US R&B chart.^[8]

In early 2012, Womack's career was the subject of the documentary show Unsung on TV One.^[9]

Personal life[link]

Barbara Campbell scandal[link]

In March 1965, just three months after Sam Cooke's death, Womack created scandal by marrying Cooke's widow, Barbara Campbell. Womack claimed he initially went to Barbara's side to console her following Cooke's death for fear that, if she were left alone, she would "do something crazy".^[10][11] They divorced in 1970. Rapper Nas later mentioned the incident in his song "Blunt Ashes". The controversy derailed Womack's singing career for a time.

Bobby Womack's younger brother, Cecil, later married Linda, the daughter of Sam Cooke and Campbell. Womack and Linda collaborated on the hit song "Woman's Gotta Have It" and he applied background vocals for his brother and Linda as the pair teamed up as Womack & Womack.^[2] Womack & Womack are also the artists of the song "Baby I'm Scared of You".

Family[link]

One of five boys to Naomi and Friendly Womack, Womack was married twice. With Barbara Campbell-Cooke, Womack had a son, Vincent, who later committed suicide in 1986 at the age of 21. Vincent Womack was featured alongside his father on the cover of Bobby's 1972 album, Understanding. With his second wife, Regina Womack, they had a son, Truth, who died as an infant, which devastated the singer. Womack later had two children, Bobby Truth and Gina with his second wife, and two younger boys from a 1990s relationship. Womack currently lives in Los Angeles.

Drug addiction and health problems[link]

Womack opened up about his frequent drug use in his memoirs, I'm a Midnight Mover. Womack said he began using cocaine sometime in the late 1960s. His cocaine use turned into an addiction by the late 1970s. Womack partially blamed his habit for his son, Truth's, death as an infant in 1976. At the end of the 1980s, Womack went into a rehab facility to get over his cocaine addiction, which he said he conquered. Womack contracted diabetes in his later years. In early 2012, Womack entered several hospitals with health problems including pneumonia, for which he was successfully treated. It was revealed in March that Womack was diagnosed with colon cancer after Bootsy Collins reported it on his Facebook page. Womack announced afterwards that he was undergoing cancer surgery. On May 24, 2012, it was announced that Womack's surgery to remove a tumor from his cancer was successful and he was declared cancer free.

Use in film[link]

Womack's 1968 cover of "California Dreamin'" featured prominently in 2009 British film Fish Tank by Andrea Arnold, where the main character Mia dances to it and uses it as her audition piece. The collection CD on which the song appears also plays a role, and is "The Best of Bobby Womack" (2008), on which "California Dreamin'" appears on track 17, as Mia requests at her audition.

Womack's "Across 110th Street" featured in the opening and elsewhere in the film Jackie Brown, directed by Quentin Tarantino. It is used to emphasise the blaxploitation tone of the film. It was used again in the Denzel Washington film, American Gangster, which depicted the actual circumstances described in the song. This song is also used for the closing credits of S2 E3 of TV Show How to Make It in America.

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

• 1968: Fly Me to the Moon (Minit) - US #174, R&B #34
• 1969: My Prescription (Minit) - R&B #44
• 1971: Communication (United Artists) - US #83, R&B #7, Jazz #20
• 1972: Understanding (United Artists) - US #43, R&B #7
• 1972: Across 110th Street (United Artists) - US #50, R&B #6
• 1973: Facts of Life (United Artists) - US #37, R&B #6
• 1974: Lookin' for a Love Again (United Artists) - US #85, R&B #5
• 1975: I Don't Know What the World Is Coming To (United Artists) - US #126, R&B #20
• 1976: Safety Zone (United Artists) - US #147, R&B #40
• 1975: I Can Understand It (United Artists) - same tracks as on Greatest Hits
• 1976: BW Goes C&W (United Artists)
• 1976: Home Is Where the Heart Is (Columbia)
• 1977: Pieces (Columbia) - US #205
• 1979: Roads Of Life (Arista) - US #206, R&B #55
• 1981: The Poet (Beverly Glen) - US #29, R&B #1
• 1984: The Poet II (Beverly Glen) - US #60, R&B #5, UK #31
• 1985: So Many Rivers (MCA) - US #66, R&B #5, UK #28
• 1985: Someday We'll All Be Free (Beverly Glen) - US #207, R&B #59
• 1986: Womagic (MCA) - R&B #68
• 1987: Last Soul Man (MCA)
• 1989: Save The Children (Solar)
• 1994: Soul Seduction Supreme (Castle)
• 1994: Resurrection (Continuum) - R&B #91
• 1999: Back to My Roots (Capitol) - Gospel #27
• 1999: Traditions (Capitol)
• 2000: Christmas Album (Indigo)^[12][13]
• 2012: The Bravest Man in the Universe (XL Recordings)^[7]

Live albums[link]

• 1970: The Womack "Live" (United Artists) - US #188, R&B #13
• 1998: Soul Sensation Live (Sequel)

Compilation albums[link]

• 1975: Greatest Hits (United Artists) - US #142, R&B #30
• 1986: Check it Out (Stateside) - UK SSL 6013
• 1998: Red Hot + Rhapsody
• 1999: Traditions (Capitol)
• 2003: Lookin' For a Love: The Best of 1968-1976 (Stateside Records)^[14]
• 2004: Fly Me To The Moon/My Prescription on one CD (Stateside Records)^[14]
• 2004: Understanding/Communication (Stateside Records)^[14]
• 2004: Womack Live/The Safety Zone (Stateside Records)^[14]
• 2004: Lookin' For A Love Again/BW Goes CW (Stateside Records)^[14]
• 2004: Facts of Life/I Don't Know What the World Is Coming To (Stateside Records)^[14]

As a featured artist[link]

• 2001:Sleepwalking with Rae & Christian (Studio K7)^[14]
• 2010: Plastic Beach with Gorillaz (Parlophone)^[14]
• 2010: The Fall with Gorillaz (Parlophone)^[14]

Singles[link]

^[2]

Quotation[link]

NME - March 1976^[16]

Awards and nominations[link]

• Grammy Awards
  • 2011, Best Short-Form Music Video: "Stylo" shared w/ Mos Def & Gorillaz (Nominated)

• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
  • In 2009, Womack was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. However, his original vocal group, his brothers, The Valentinos (Friendly Womack, Jr., Curtis Womack, Harry Womack and Cecil Womack) weren't inducted with him.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Allmusic Entry
• Bobby Womack interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' August 1994 (republished June 2008)
• Angelfire Biography
• Soul Patrol Biography
• Soulwalking website
• Bobby Womack Interview 2011
• YouTube videos-Bobby Womack gets inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• Rolling Stone Ron Wood inducts Bobby Womack into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame.
• Bobby Womack performs on his 2009 induction into The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame.

Medal record
Liu Xiang in 2010
Competitor for  China
Men's athletics
Olympic Games
Gold	2004 Athens	110 m hurdles
World Championships
Gold	2007 Osaka	110 m hurdles
Silver	2005 Helsinki	110 m hurdles
Silver	2011 Daegu	110 m hurdles
Bronze	2003 Paris	110 m hurdles
World Indoor Championships
Gold	2008 Valencia	60 m hurdles
Silver	2004 Budapest	60 m hurdles
Silver	2012 Istanbul	60 m hurdles
Bronze	2003 Birmingham	60 m hurdles
Asian Games
Gold	2002 Busan	110 m hurdles
Gold	2006 Doha	110 m hurdles
Gold	2010 Guangzhou	110 m hurdles

Liu Xiang (simplified Chinese: 刘翔; traditional Chinese: 劉翔; pinyin: Liú Xiáng; born July 13, 1983 in Putuo District, Shanghai, China) is a Chinese 110 meter hurdler. Liu is an Olympic Gold medalist and World Champion.^[1] His 2004 Olympic gold medal was the first in a men's track and field event for China.

Liu is one of China's most commercially successful athletes and has emerged as a cultural icon.^[2] He is the first Chinese athlete to achieve the "triple crown" of athletics: World Record Holder, World Champion and Olympic Champion. He was the favorite to win another gold in the 110 metre hurdles at the Beijing Olympics,^[3] but much to the dismay of his fans, he had to withdraw from competition at the last moment after a false start and aggravation to a previously unrevealed injury.

Career[link]

In May 2001, he won at the East Asian Games in Osaka, Japan with a time of 13.42 seconds. In August 2001, he won at the Universiade in Beijing, China with a time of 13.33 seconds.^[4] He also won at the 9th National Games of the People's Republic of China that same year.^[5]

In May 2004 at an IAAF race in Osaka, Japan, Liu managed to beat Allen Johnson with a personal best record time of 13.06 seconds. Liu had become his hero's equal just before the Athens Olympic Games.^{[citation needed]}

2004 Olympics[link]

Liu Xiang
Liu Xiang celebrating at the 2007 World Championship as he became the World Champion for the first time.
Traditional Chinese	劉翔
Simplified Chinese	刘翔
Hanyu Pinyin	Liú Xiáng
Transcriptions Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin Liú Xiáng - Wade–Giles Liu Hsiang Cantonese (Yue) - Jyutping Lau4 Coeng4 - Yale Romanization Lyou2 Syang2

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2010)

Liu Xiang won the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens in the 110 metre hurdles event, equaling Colin Jackson's 1993 world record of 12.91 seconds. Liu became just the sixth man to post a time under 13 seconds for this event. The ecstatic Liu at once fulfilled the great promise he had shown in setting a world junior record two years earlier and raised the hopes of his compatriots for a repeat victory at the 2008 Games in Beijing. Liu said that his performance, which brought China its first men's Olympic gold medal in track and field, "changes the opinion that Asian countries don't get good results in sprint races. I want to prove to all the world that Asians can run very fast." His 2004 Olympic gold medal was the first in a men's track and field event for China, in which the previous best were held by Olympic silver medallist C.K. Yang of the Republic of China and Olympic bronze medalist Zhu Jianhua. Contrary to popular belief however, Liu Xiang's Olympic track and field gold medal is not the first won by an Asian male athlete, as Olympic gold medalist Mikio Oda, Naoto Tajima, Son Kitei and others were the forerunners of Asian male track and field athletes achieving gold in the Olympic Games. Liu, a 21-year-old student at East China Normal University at the time of his Athens victory, became the object of a bidding war between commercial sponsors. The Chinese Track and Field Association restricted him to four such deals.

Liu finished the season with four of the year's ten fastest clockings. Reaching 17 finals in the 60 m indoor hurdles and the 110 metre hurdles, he lost just two, both to American Allen Johnson. Liu, at 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) and 85 kg (187 lb), was taller than most sprint hurdlers, and he has showed spectacular athleticism by constraining his naturally long stride to the three-step pattern necessary in order to avoid the alternation of lead legs in hurdling.

2005 and 2007 World Championships[link]

In August 2005, Liu won a silver medal at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Helsinki, Finland, finishing 13.08 seconds, 0.01 seconds after champion Ladji Doucouré from France. In November 2005, he won at East Asian Games in Macau, China with 13.21 seconds.

Off track, in May, he was awarded the Laureus World Sports Award for Newcomer of the Year for his breakthrough performance at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.

Liu set a new world record in the 110 metre hurdles, at the Super Grand Prix in Lausanne on July 11, 2006, with a time of 12.88 seconds (+1.1 m/s tailwind). The record was ratified by the IAAF.^[6] In that same race, American Dominique Arnold had also beaten the previous record with a time of 12.90 seconds.^[7] In September, he won gold at IAAF World Athletics Final in Stuttgart, Germany with 12.93 seconds.

On August 31, 2007 at the World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan, Liu won gold in the 110 metre hurdles with 12.95 seconds to become the World Champion for the first time.

On May 23, Liu participated in a test event at the Beijing National Stadium.^[8] He pulled out of the Reebok Grand Prix in New York on May 31, citing hamstring problems. On June 8, he false-started at the Prefontaine Classic at Eugene, Oregon. Liu skipped the entire European circuit, preferring to train for the Olympics in China instead.

Beijing Olympics[link]

Leading up to the Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, Liu bore national expectations of a repeat victory on home soil.^[9] On August 18, Liu withdrew from the Olympic 110 metre hurdles. He walked off the track after a false start by another runner in his first-round heat,^[9] leaving the crowd at the Beijing National Stadium in stunned silence,^[10] confusion,^[11] and tears.^[8][9] According to Jeré Longman of the New York Times, "China's greatest hope had been dashed".^[12]

According to China's track and field association, Liu suffered from a recurrence of chronic inflammation in his right Achilles tendon.^[8] Liu's coach, Sun Haiping addressed the media during a press conference and stated that the hurdler had been hampered by a tendon injury for six or seven years.^[10] He commented on the situation, saying "We worked hard every day, but the result was as you see and it is really hard to take."^[10] Sun, who was in tears for most of the press conference, stated that Liu would be unable to compete for the remainder of 2008. Liu made a public apology to the Chinese media the following day, saying he could "do nothing but pull out of the race" because of his foot injury. He believes that the injury would not prevent him from future competitions and vows to "come back" for the next Olympics.^[13]

Liu's injury was significant and also ruled him out of the following year's major competition, the 2009 World Championships in Athletics.^[14] However, coach Sun Haiping was confident that he would return in time for the Chinese national championships and 2009 Asian Championships in Athletics in November.^[15]

2009–2011: Return from injury[link]

After a 13-month absence because of his injury, Liu finally returned to competition at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix. Liu recorded a time of 13.15, tied with Terrence Trammell, but finished 0.01s behind and was awarded second place. However, Liu said he was happy with his performance.^[16][17] Nearing the end of the year, he competed at a number of major events on home turf. He won gold medals at the 2009 Asian Athletics Championships, the East Asian Games and the 11th Chinese National Games.^[18][19]

At the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Doha, admitting that his right foot has yet to fully recover,^[20] Liu was able to finish in the finals of the 60 m hurdles, but managed only seventh place.^[21] His sole appearance on the 2010 IAAF Diamond League circuit came at the Shanghai Grand Prix and he lost to national rival Shi Dongpeng for the first time.^[22] Following a six-month break, he marked his return to form at the 2010 Asian Games. A crowd of 70,000 gathered at the Guangdong Olympic Stadium to see him in the final and he easily won his third consecutive title at the competition, breaking the Games record with a run of 13.09 seconds – making him the third fastest athlete that season.^[23]

The Shanghai Golden Grand Prix in May 2011 saw Liu make a return to a world class level: he defeated David Oliver (the fastest hurdler in 2010) with a world-leading mark of 13.07 seconds to take his first win on the 2011 IAAF Diamond League. Liu showed he had accomplished a transition in his technique, as he reduced his number of starting steps before the first hurdle from eight to seven, using his left leg for hurdling.^[24]

On August 29, 2011, Liu Xiang competed in the men's 110 m hurdles final in the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea. Liu finished the race in third place, but he eventually won the silver medal, as the winner Dayron Robles was disqualified for entering Liu's lane and touching him. Though Robles' disqualification improved Liu's final position, many Liu fans claim that without Robles' violation, Liu wouldn't have lost balance and could have won the race.^[25]

2012 season[link]

In Liu's first competition of 2012, he was matched up against Dayron Robles at the Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix and this time he won cleanly with an Asian record time of 7.41 seconds for the 60 m hurdles.^[26] He was the favourite for the title at the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships, but was beaten into second place by Aries Merritt and left with the silver medal.^[27] In the outdoor season he set a 110 m hurdles meet record at the Golden Grand Prix Kawasaki, then ran 12.97 seconds to win at his home nation 2012 IAAF Diamond League meet, the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix. This was his first run under 13 seconds since 2007 and he beat Americans David Oliver and Jason Richardson by some distance.^[28]

Personal life[link]

Liu is known for his low-profile appearance, but he has become one of the most popular athletes in China.^[29] Liu Xiang was on Time magazine Asian edition's cover of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games titled "Liu Xiang & 99 More Athletes to Watch."^[30]

Liu donated approximately 2,500,000 yuan (364,000 USD) to 2008 Sichuan Earthquake relief efforts.^[31]

Although he is arguably one of the most popular sports stars in China, Liu admits that he has no time for a romantic relationship, citing that he wishes he had taken the chance to form one before the Athens Olympics, which catapulted him to fame: "There is no girlfriend. No time."^[32]

In Jan 2007, Liu was announced as global brand spokesperson for Nutrilite.^{[citation needed]} Liu's athletic gear is sponsored by Nike.^[33] He is also a spokesperson for Coca Cola and Cadillac.

International competition record[link]

See also[link]

• China at the 2004 Summer Olympics
• China at the 2008 Summer Olympics
• China at the World Championships in Athletics

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• IAAF profile for Liu Xiang
• IAAF "Focus on Athletes" article
• SPIKES Hero profile on www.spikesmag.com

Records
Preceded by Colin Jackson	Men's 110 m Hurdles World Record Holder August 27, 2004 – June 12, 2008	Succeeded by Dayron Robles
Sporting positions
Preceded by Allen Johnson	Men's 110 m Hurdles Best Year Performance 2004	Succeeded by Ladji Doucouré
Preceded by Ladji Doucouré	Men's 110 m Hurdles Best Year Performance 2006–2007	Succeeded by Dayron Robles