Sun Haiping (R), coach of Chinese athlete Liu Xiang, reacts during a press conference after the men's 110m hurdles at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 18, 2008. The defending champion Liu Xiang dropped out after getting injury. (Xinhua/Guo Dayue)  Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Liu Xiang's head coach Sun Haiping broke into tears in the press conference while hailing his student as a "fighter".

    "He has been keeping fighting and fighting until the last moment," said Sun.

    Defending champ Liu pulled out of the Olympic 110m hurdles first round because the five or six-year-old tendon injury in the right foot got worse.

    "I know that kind of pain was unbearable," said Feng Shuyong, head coach of the Chinese team.

    Feng admitted Liu has been under great pressure as a Chinese sports icon.

    "But he is great athlete and very strong mentally," he said.

Sun Haiping (R), coach of Chinese athlete Liu Xiang, speaks during a press conference after the men's 110m hurdles at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 18, 2008. The defending champion Liu Xiang dropped out after getting injury. (Xinhua/Chen Kai)  Photo Gallery>>>

China head coach talks about Liu's quit

    BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Head coach of the Chinese athletic team Feng Shuyong said he was very upset about Liu Xiang's quit from the Olympic men's 110m hurdles Monday morning. Full story