Former World 110m Hurdles record holder Liu Xiang has been informed by doctors in the USA that his calcified Achilles tendon requires an operation.

Liu Xiang and his coach Sun Haiping arrived in Houston, Texas last Thursday (30 Oct), where the Chinese star was examined at the Memorial Hermann Medical, which also offers medical treatment to Houston Rockets players like fellow Shanghai sports icon Yao Ming.

Earlier during his trip to the US, Liu Xiang had sounded optimistic about the possible prognosis for his injury confirming that, "it's fine. I come seeking medical advice on my injury from the local experts in America... I think its not that serious...."

Last month Sun Haiping had also been quoted as preferring a less interventional approach to the injury, which had ruined the hurdler’s attempt to defend his Olympic title in Beijing this summer.

See previous story in ‘Related Content’ to the right of this story

And after receiving the diagnosis from the doctors in Houston Sun Haiping still wished to shy away from the prospect of surgery for his charge.

"The doctors suggested surgery, but we will see more doctors in the US and collect more opinions," Sun was quoted by China Daily in an interview on Sunday (3 Nov).

"If it is possible to treat the injury without surgery, we will choose (that option)."

Chris Turner and China Daily for the IAAF