Liu Xiang en route to his first world title (© Getty Images)
World 110m Hurdles champion Liu Xiang will have surgery in the United States on an Achilles injury that denied him the chance of defending his Olympic title on home soil, reports Reuters.
The former World record holder and his coach Sun Haiping have spent the past week in the United States seeking advice on the injury.
Sun Haiping, who previously said surgery would be a last resort, was convinced by U.S. medical experts that an operation was both necessary and safe.
"We were less worried about the operation after hearing the experts' advice. They all said it wouldn't be very difficult," Sun Haiping told state television after returning from the United States.
"Also, the three calcifications between his bone and tendon could not be removed in any other way but through surgery," said Sun, showing scans of Liu Xiang's foot.
See ‘Related Content’ to the right of this story for previous news about Liu Xiang's injury
Reuters
