>   OLYMPICS: AUG 19 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's Track and Field   >   450_c4300089963_beijing_olympics_summer.jpg

Aug 19, 2008 - Shanghai, China - China's leaders have thrown their support behind Liu Xiang, the Olympic 110m hurdles gold medalist who stunned the nation with his abrupt departure from the Beijing Olympics, urging him to overcome injury and return to glory. Liu was the nations best hope of an athletics gold medal at the Beijing Olympics and his pained withdrawal from the 110m hurdles on Monday was a huge blow in a country where his image hangs on countless billboards. In a sign of the national prestige invested in the hurdler, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping sent Liu a get well message, state media reported on Tuesday. The Communist Partys leadership had been very concerned about Liu Xiangs injury, and hopes he will receive swift treatment and soon heal. In response, Liu vowed to seek an early return to competition. PICTURED: The frontpages of 13 newspapers in Shanghai, issued on August 19, 2008, with the report on Liu Xiangs withdrawal from the 110m hurdles at the Beijing Olympics