Liu Xiang's chance to defend his Olympic title during the Beijing Games was robbed by his Achilles' injury. Now after three-months of waiting, Liu Xiang has left for the United Sates, where he'll undergo an operation.

Liu Xiang (C), former 110m hurdle world and Olympic champion, and his parents wave to reporters before leaving for the United States for treatment, in Shanghai, east China, Dec. 3, 2008. Liu Xiang, accompanied by his mother and coach, flew to Houston Wednesday to receive treatment of his troublesome right foot.[Xinhua Photo]

Liu Xiang left for Houston from Shanghai on Wednesday morning. Along with his coach Sun Haiping, Liu Xiang is also accompanied by six other people including his mother and Feng Shuyong, vice director of the China Athletics Administrative Centre. Houston Rockets doctor Tom Clanton will operate on Liu's Achilles' injury. Clanton is the same doctor who helped Yao Ming recover from a stress fracture in his left foot last year. 25-year-old Liu Xiang will remain in the United Statea after the operation to recuperate, which is expected to take at least six months.

Liu Xiang, 110 meters hurdles world champion, said, "This operation has been jointly agreed on by all the people around me. Actually I don't really want to have them cut into me like this. But later they told me that this is just a small operation and it won't affect my future training and life very much. On the contrary, they say it will do me good, so I've finally decided to go ahead with it."