Liu Xiang, China's Most Famous Athlete at the Olympics, Crashed on the First Hurdle

"After victories at the 2004 Olympics and at the world championships in 2007, Liu was the face of the 2008 Olympics in China. But his leg failed him then, too, with an Achilles’ tendon injury that put a sad twist on the host country’s efforts. He publicly apologized for his stunning withdrawal in 2008, and his coach was brought to tears in a news conference after his race."

The crash will likely end the Olympic career of Liu, 29, one of China’s most popular athletes. [AP]