Liu and Trammell: Hurdles they couldn't overcome

BEIJING -- For about eight minutes, Terrence Trammell's misfortune in the high hurdles was the story of Monday morning's track and field session at the Olympic Stadium.

Trammell, a silver medalist in 2004 and 2000, was trying to become the first male hurdler to win medals in three straight Games. (Shirley Strickland of Australia is the only person to do it, with bronze-gold-gold in 1948, 1952, 1956).

He was in heat 5 of the first round but managed to get over just one hurdle before straining a hamstring muscle in his left leg and pulling up. Trammell declined a stretcher and walked off the track just as the drama involving Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang was beginning.

Maybe there was bad karma about lane 2 Monday.  Both Trammell and Liu were in that lane.

Liu withdrew after experiencing pain from a longstanding Achilles tendon injury in both his warm-up and his aborted attempt to run after heat 6 was called back for a false start.

Trammell's injury was a fluke occurrence.  His full statement was released Monday afternoon.

Ironically, last week Trammell was asked if he were worried about beating national hero Xiang in Thursday's final and sending the country into depression.

"That's what I hope to do," Trammell said. "I hope they can cope.''

Now, sadly, we will get the answer to that.

-- Philip Hersh

Photo of Liu Xiang by Adrian Dennis/AFP
Photo of Terrence Trammell by Gabriel Bouys /AFP/Getty Images