Published : 2024-08-27
On August 27, 2004, Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang (劉翔) won the Olympic gold medal in the 110-metre hurdles.
The 28th Summer Olympics was held in the capital of Greece, Athens. In the men's 110-metre hurdles final, Liu Xiang was ready at the fourth lane.
When the gunshot sounded, Liu Xiang burst out, leading other athletes over the hurdles, while maintaining a good rhythm between the hurdles, clearing each one with excellent frequency.
At the time, only American athlete Terrence Trammell on the sixth lane posed a threat to Liu, but from the fifth hurdle, Liu Xiang started to pull away from Trammell. At the same time, French athlete Ladji Doucoure on the third lane was catching up.
Facing the challenge, Liu Xiang remained calm and maintained high speed, showcasing good technique when clearing the hurdles.
On the other hand, Doucoure made mistakes on the last two hurdles and nearly lost his balance at the finish line.
In the end, Liu Xiang crossed the finish line in 12.91 seconds, breaking the Olympic record, and matching the world record set by Colin Jackson in 1993 that had been held for 11 years.
Most importantly, Liu Xiang won the first men's track and field Olympic gold medal for China.
