Crossing Hurdles - Against All Odds

Have you heard the story of the brave and positive young man from China?

It happened in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Liu Xiang became the first man to win for China an Olympic gold in athletics.

It is true that China has won more than 100 Olympic gold medals since 1984 but this is one of the greatest moments in China Olympic history.

Liu Xiang was cared for by his grandparents for much of his childhood. As a child, Liu Xiang was much taller than most of his peers. Thus, his sports teachers encouraged him to train for the high jump. However, when he was about fifteen years old, his dreams were slashed when a bone test showed that he would not grow tall enough to become a world-class high jumper.

His parents withdrew him from the sports school and Liu Xiang's future would probably have to be rewritten if he had not been spotted by Sun Haiping, a prominent hurdles coach. He thought Liu Xiangs rhythm was excellent and fitted in well to the sport.

Liu Xiang returned to the sports school and trained himself hard. When his grandma died of cancer, Liu Xiang vowed that he would do his best to win every competition to repay her love for him.

It was in the early hours of Beijing time when the event broadcasted live by CCTV, the national television station. With his legs pumping with flawless precision, Liu Xiang cleared the first five hurdles perfectly and barely touched the last one. Although he was not the favorite for the gold medal, he soared to an emphatic victory of almost three metres ahead of his competitors.

Big cities like Beijing and Shanghai burst into life and many Chinese fans cried out with hysteria when 21-year-old Liu Xiang led from the front and eventually dashed across the finishing the line to win with ease the men's 110m hurdles.

Although Liu Xiangs time of 12.91 seconds is the same as the 11th year-old world record held by Britain's greatest ever hurdler Colin Jackson in 1993, it was him who received the lion's share of the spoils.

After recovering from his shock following his stunning victory, Liu Xiang admitted that he has never run under 13 seconds, even in training although he has dreamt of doing better and breaking records.

His coach Sun Haiping was equally thrilled. He explained that Liu Xiang has always been not so good at starting but will usually catch up fast in the latter part of the race. However, through sheer determination and unlimited courage, he has managed to ride on his advantages and overcome his poor start and weaknesses.

Former world champion Colin Jackson, was surprised and chuffed with Liu Xiang's effortless win. He claimed that it was an extraordinary performance by Liu Xiang who got out really fast and he was greatly impressed with the way the China athletic took the race on.

Then in 2006, less than two years from the Athens Games, the brave Chinese Olympic champion broke the world record in the men's 110m hurdles. The new record time of 12.88 seconds came about at the IAAF Super Grand Prix meeting in Lausanne.

Liu Xiang was very happy and excited in achieving the status as the world's fastest hurdler. He claimed to have known since the Olympic Games in Athens that he should be able to do better.

On 15 July 2007, Liu Xiang will compete in the Norwich Union British Grand Prix in Don Valley stadium in Sheffield. Liu Xiang hopes to get a strong performance in Sheffield as the race is very important to him. He aims to be in good form since he is taking part in the World Championships in Osaka in Aug / Sep 2007.

Although he has already won an Olympic gold, it has been his dream to win the World title. He also vowed to defend his title when the Olympics come to Beijing in 2008.

Our life is seldom a bed of roses. It is more like a track full of hurdles.
At times we face difficulties and problems in our daily lives.
We should treat them as challenges in our daily lives!

Are we going to stand and look at every stumbling block?

Or are we going to say a positive mind-set and sail across all of them?

Do you dare to change and make a make a difference in your life?
The choice should be obvious to you, right?