Hurdler Liu was a fragile source of pride, in whom China saw many of its hopes dashed:

“National mourning began as Liu Xiang rubbed his right leg, signaling the source of his pain, telling 1.3 billion Chinese citizens that he would not be crossing even one hurdle this day.

The sadness radiated outward to fans and officials and journalists, who immediately wept at the downfall of their national hero. All over China, people felt the collective sting of failure, concentrated in one athlete, which is always a risky business.”