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DAEGU, South Korea, Aug. 29-- Three years after his sudden withdrawal from the Beijing Olympic Games, China's star hurdler Liu Xiang regained honor after dramatically taking silver at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu on Monday night. The 28-year-old flag-bearer of the Chinese athletics could have the chance to repeat his title-winning feat in Osaka 2007, but the hand contact with Dayron Robles of Cuba disturbed his rhythm before Liu finishing third in the breath-taking final. Robles hit the finishing line first in 13.14 seconds but was disqualified of his mark and the title for disruption of the event after the Chinese team made an appeal. The silver was awarded to Liu who clocked 13.27 as his blistering pace slowed down after the hand contacts with the neighboring Robles. The medal for U.S. emerging star Jason Richardson who ran in 13.16 was changed from silver to gold. In spite of missing the chance to step on the top podium, Liu believed he had proved his competitiveness and recovery, both physically and mentally, from the nightmare-like injury that forced him out of the Beijing Games. "I felt like someone touched my elbow and I lost my balance for a while but then I managed to recover" said Liu. "It happens all the time in the competitions. I am OK with everything that happened today and this is a legacy to me. I tried my best (and got) no regret." Liu also noted he didn't care much about the color of the medal. | 
