Liu Xiang (left) defeats Allen Johnson (centre) in the Golden Grand Prix, Shanghai (© AFP/Getty Images)
The fame and fortune of Olympic champion hurdler Liu Xiang continues to rise relentlessly. Despite ‘only’ taking the World Championship silver medal in the men’s 110m Hurdles in Helsinki this summer, the 22-year-old Shanghai native at the end of September was named as one of two image ambassadors for his home city.
If we mention that Liu Xiang’s fellow ambassador is NBA ‘Houston Rockets’ basketball player Yao Ming, then anyone with even a passing knowledge of the flourishing Chinese sports and entertainment industry will know that the World record equalling hurdler is in the top league when it comes to Chinese celebrity.
We have already reported earlier this year that Liu Xiang’s life story had been made into a text book and is now studied in elementary schools in Shanghai…that he had risen to number three in the national earning list for entertainment and sports in China, with an estimated 23 million yuan income (over two and three quarter million US$)… that he took the title of 'Laureus China Sportsman of the Year' …and more recently in the wider worldwide Laureus awards that he had become the '2005 World Newcomer of the Year', the same award Yao Ming won in 2003.
Well now Liu Xiang’s fame seems to be starting to match even that of Yao Ming, who in 2004 topped the earning list with 150 million yuan (over eighteen million US$).
On 26 September, city officials confirmed Liu Xiang’s joint appointment saying they believed that the two stars would raise the profile of the city, promoting its logo and generating a buzz around city-related events.
Yao Ming and Liu Xiang received their certificates as Shanghai image representatives from Mayor Han Zheng during a grand ceremony held in China's largest city last week.
Yao Ming who was named Shanghai's first ambassador two years ago, has had his role extended by a further two years, and was full of praise for his fellow ambassador.
"I saw him win the gold medal in the Olympics, he brought to life the sporting spirit of achievement."
While Liu Xiang was a little taken aback by his new fame, "it is quite a surprise," said Liu. "It doesn't create more pressure but more responsibility."
Xinhua and Chris Turner for the IAAF