Chinese hurdler superstar Liu Xiang has undergone successful surgery on an Achilles injury which cut short his participation at this year's Beijing Olympics.

The operation started at 9:30 pm on Friday Beijing Time and lasted about two hours and fifty minutes at the Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Centre in Houston, sina.com.cn reported on Saturday.

Dr. Tom Clanton, who operated on Houston Rockets centre Yao Ming's injured foot earlier this year, says Liu will fully recover.

"After the surgery Liu will need four months in the United States to recover while a full recovery will take half a year," Sun Haiping, Liu's coach, said on the official website of the Chinese Athletic Association.

The 25-year-old Liu was unable to defend his Athens gold in Beijing in August when he hobbled off the track at the Bird's Nest Stadium during the preliminary heats of the 110 metres hurdles.

(CRIENGLISH.com December 6, 2008)