Injured Liu Xiang Out of the Hurdles

A visibly pained Liu Xiang pulled out of his first heat in the 110m hurdles today due to an injury. The star runner, who won the event in Athens four years ago to become China's first men's track gold medalist, had been under great pressure to defend his title in Beijing. Liu, whose face is ubiquitous on billboards in China, had been suffering from a hamstring injury this season that forced him out of some Olympic warmup events. Now an injury to his right Achille's tendon will keep the onetime world record holder from the 110m in the Games. "He was in a strong field and he wanted to compete," said Chinese track and field head Feng Shuyong during a press conference at which Liu's coach Sun Haiping broke down in tears. "When he tried a few times to run ... you saw the pain on his face. We can imagine pain he was suffering."

Update: Here's more from TIME's Hannah Beech.