That moment, millions were agape in disbelief.
For all his fans, for all those wanting to see him sustain the miraculous breakthrough in Chinese track and field, Liu Xiang's last-minute withdrawal was a disappointment beyond description.
But let us face it. It just happened.
His coach burst into tears, apologizing for letting us down, and explaining the pains his beloved disciple had been through.
No apology needed.
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China's Liu Xiang (top) walks away from the track as he retires from the first round of the men's 110m hurdles at the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 18, 2008. [Agencies]
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The frustrated Liu Xiang said he would not have quit until it became impossible.
We all saw it. He tried.
We are sorry he missed, so narrowly, an otherwise wonderful opportunity to repay the unreserved support from his compatriots. The wish has hardly diminished even after Dayron Robles broke his world record in June.
Yet that is no "national calamity", as some have put it.
Liu Xiang was our hero. He still is. From him, from his tenacious struggle with injuries over the years, his last-minute attempt to defeat the pains in particular, we saw fine sportsmanship at work.
That is what the Olympics is all about. The medals - gold, silver or bronze - are symbols of excellence. But it goes against the Olympic ideals if we take the Games as a mere game of medal count.
When Pierre De Coubertin masterminded the modern Olympic Games, he had his eyes on sportsmanship inspiring fine human qualities in a broader scope. Unyielding pursuit of excellence is one of them.
There will be wins and losses in the courts of competition. We have seen some of the most favored athletes lose to impossible rivals; we have seen "dark horses" romp home in unbelievable ways. This is the charm of sports.
Part of the beauty of the Olympics is that it brings to us heartening personal stories in addition to outstanding athletic performance.
Behind the story of American swimmer Michael Phelps's eight gold medals, we see a diligent young man who has built his way to excellence through tedious, exhausting sessions of training.
Chusovitina Oksana, the German woman gymnast, drew lasting applauses at the National Stadium, not just because she won a silver medal competing with people half her age. The 33-year-old won Chinese hearts as a caring mother. We are so glad her son has recovered from leukaemia, and she no longer has to overburden herself with backbreaking medical bills.
We admire Tomescu Constantina of Romania not only because she won the gold medal in women's marathon. The 38-year-old mother gave a proud reply to those who announced the end of her athletic career three years back.
Sportsmanship is not only about winning and losing. It is also about how we face the outcomes.
There are no losers at the Olympic Games.
