China’s loved athlete Liu Xiang to retire

China's Olympic 110 metres hurdles gold medallist and former world record holder Liu Xiang is to announce his retirement next week, Chinese media have reported on Friday.

Liu, 31, has not competed since injury at the 2012 London Olympics. He is expected to announce his retirement on Tuesday, reports have said.

Liu became China's first male Olympic champion in athletics when he won the 110 metres hurdles at the 2004 Games, equalling Briton Colin Jackson's world record of 12.91 seconds. 

Three years later he won a world championship gold in Osaka, Japan.Liu bettered the world record to 12.88 seconds in Lausanne, Switzerland in July 2006. 

Aries Merritt of the United States is current world record holder in 12.80.At the 2008 Beijing Games, Liu limped off in a first-round heat with an aggravated Achilles tendon injury following another runner's false start.

He then pulled his Achilles tendon attempting to clear the first hurdle in the heats at the 2012 London Olympics.

Original title by Sport24: Chinese Olympic star to retire