Liu Xiang fell at the first hurdle in the 110m hurdles heat on Tuesday, missing the chance to reclaim his Olympic gold glory and probably ending his Olympic career.

The main final will not be held until Wednesday, but the 29-year-old sporting hopped from the field to cheers from the audience after falling at the first hurdle.

He had faced intense speculation about his fitness and questions surrounding his behavior in the run-up to the London Games.

Liu's teammate Xie Wenjun qualified for the semifinal in 13:43.