An IAAF spokesperson paid tribute to Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang after he withdrew from the race at the Beijing Olympics on Monday, said that Liu had fight so hard and should feel no regret to leave the stadium.

Liu Xiang, who made history as the first ever Chinese male athlete to win an athletics Olympic gold in Athens four years ago, was forced to withdraw from the 110m hurdles first round competition with a tendon injury in his right foot.

"I am a hundred percent sure that Liu came through a lot pain to quit the competition," said Anna Legnani, spokesperson and deputy director of communications of International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

"He has been one of the major heroes of the Olympic Games, I don't think he is losing for the Games but we will lose him for the 110m hurdles race," added Legnani.

Legnani said it was a pity that people could not see Liu and Cuban hurdler Dayron Robles compete in the final of the Beijing Olympics.

Robles owns five of the six fastest times of the year, he became the world record holder with his 12.87 race in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

He suffered a shock exit in the 60-meter hurdles at the indoor world championships on this year at Valencia, Spain, after being left in the blocks in the first heat of the day.

"It is a big thing to see Liu and Robles compete in the finals of the major race. In the Indoor World Championship, we invited the two main runners to the race. In that case, it was Robles quite early with a false start, he was disqualified in the first round. This time unfortunately it is liu Xiang who with injury can not compete. Both times we failed to see Liu and Robles, both times were impossible," said Legnani.

"People should understand how hard Liu had fight to compete. I do believe he will definitely come back strong and very motivated. I wish him best luck and coming back soon to achieve more for himself, for the country and the athletics," she added.

Roble eased into the second round of the men's 110m hurdles with 13.39 seconds, while Terrence Trammell of the United States, two-time Olympic silver medalist at 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens, grabbed the second hurdle and limped off the track with an injured left leg.

(Xinhua News Agency August 18, 2008)