Liu Xiang

Liang Xiang, male, born July 13, 1983, in Shanghai. His birth weight was 0.9 jin (approximately 450 grams). From 1983 to 1990, Liang Xiang attended Shànghǎi Shíbǎng Mùxīn Village Primary School. In 1990, he was selected by the school’s track and field coach Zhong Suogui to begin training in athletics. In 1993, as a fourth-grade student, he was recruited by the Shanghai Putuo District Youth Sports School, mainly practicing the long jump. In 1996, he won the second-grade long jump championship at the Shanghai Youth Athletics Championships and began practicing hurdles. In the same year, during a city-level competition, he was noticed by Fang Shuiquan, coach of the Shanghai Sports Technical College athletics team, and switched to practicing the 110-meter hurdles.

In 1997, Liang Xiang again won the second-grade youth athletics championship in Shanghai. In August 1998, despite injury, he achieved second place nationwide in the all-around event at the National Youth Track and Field Competition. In 1999, after advocacy from Sun Haiping, he returned to hurdles, joined the top-tier team, and began achieving notable results with a best time of 12.91 seconds. In April of that year, he placed fourth at the National Athletics Grand Prix held in Shanghai. In May, he won the Henan Youth Championships.

Regarding his professional career, Liang Xiang joined the national team in 1999, focusing on technical training. In 2000, he finished fourth in the men's 110-meter hurdles at the World Youth Championships in Santiago, Chile. In November of the same year, he achieved third place at an indoor meet in Lyon, France. On May 6, 2001, he won at the National Athletics Championships, then secured gold medals at the East Asian Games and the World University Games, becoming China's first male athlete to win gold at the Universiade. Later that year, he won at the 9th National Games.

In 2002, Liang Xiang ran a time of 13.12 seconds at the Lausanne International Grand Prix in Switzerland, breaking the Asian record and the world youth record for the men's 110-meter hurdles. In August, he won the Asian Athletics Championships. In 2003, he placed third in the men's 60-meter hurdles at the indoor international meet in Birmingham, UK, setting an Asian indoor record. In 2004, he won the IAAF Grand Prix in Osaka, Japan, with a personal best of 13.06 seconds.

In the 2004 Athens Olympics, Liang Xiang won the gold medal in the men's 110-meter hurdles with a time of 12.91 seconds, tying the world record and breaking the Olympic record, becoming the first Chinese male athlete to win Olympic gold in this event. In 2005, he placed second at the World Championships with a time of 13.08 seconds. In 2006, he broke the men's 110-meter hurdles world record in Lausanne with a time of 12.88 seconds, and continued to win multiple international competitions. That year, he also won the gold medal in the men's 110-meter hurdles at the Asian Games.

In 2007, Liang Xiang repeatedly broke records in indoor and outdoor events, winning the gold at the World Championships in Osaka. In 2008, he maintained an undefeated streak at the Osaka Grand Prix. During the Beijing Olympics, he withdrew during the heats due to a recurrence of a right Achilles tendon injury. In 2009, he returned to competition, winning consecutive titles at the National Games and the Asian Championships.

From 2010 to 2012, Liang Xiang performed well in various international competitions, but injuries affected his performance at key events. During the 2012 London Olympics, he fell in the heats and did not meet expectations. On April 7, 2015, he officially announced his retirement. After retiring, he actively participated in philanthropy, charity activities, and entered the entertainment and variety field.

In his personal life, he registered his marriage with Ge Tian in 2014 but divorced in 2015. In 2016, he announced his relationship with former pole vaulter Wu Sha, and they married the same year.