A week after 15-year-old gymnast Wang Yan broke her neck at the national championships in Shanghai, a similar tragedy has struck another Olympic hopeful.

Tang Miao, a key player on the men's national volleyball team, broke his neck while warming up for a training session in St Petersburg, Russia.

The 25-year-old, who was approaching the peak of his career, could be paralyzed for life after the accident.

The accident happened on Wednesday when Tang's local Shanghai team was tuning up for a friendly with a local team as part of celebrations for the "Year of China in Russia."

A consular official said Tang's head collided with the wall when he went to save a ball, which increased the damage in his lumbar and cervical vertebrae.

"He lost consciousness immediately after the accident. And his legs and hands have lost all feeling," said Li Zhi, the consular general in St Petersburg.

"He woke up after the first surgery but still could not move his hands and legs. Because it concerns the nerve tissue, he is still not able to breath easily and has to be supported by a respirator."

Doctors told reporters the paralysis may clear up, but it is unlikely the Shanghai native will play competitive volleyball again.

Li said Tang won't be unable to breath on his own for two or three days and will have to be treated in Russia for several weeks before he is able to return to China.

Tang's father is now in St Petersburg with two Shanghai doctors. Officials also arranged for help from Chinese students who can speak fluent Russian.

A source from Shanghai Sports Bureau, who asked not to be identified, confirmed to China Daily yesterday the first surgery was a success.

Wife devastated

Tang is married to Zhou Suhong, the new captain of the national women's team.

Zhou was reported to be devastated when she heard the news of her husband's injury.

"I didn't get any text messages from him for several days. Usually he sends them every day. I was getting really uneasy," she was quoted as saying in Titan Sports.

National women's head coach Chen Zhonghe told Titan sports that Zhou, who is currently preparing with the team for a tournament in Russia later this month, was in tears the moment she heard the news.

"She cried several times. We hope she remains strong," Chen said. "We keep comforting her. I told her there are always ups and downs in life and we should learn how to deal with misery."

Coach Chen also expressed his confidence that a strong-minded Zhou can battle through. But there remain question marks over her mental condition as she prepares for the tournament in Russia starting next week.

Tang was a core member of Shanghai's volleyball team, helping it clinch four successive championships in the national league.

He has played for the national team for five years and has established himself as one of the key attacking threats.

He was not with the current national squad competing in the on-going world volleyball league because he was recovering from injury.

Tang was expected to resume national duty after returning from Russia.

"No one is willing to accept it. Even after two and three days, I still hoped it wasn't true," said men's head coach Zhou Jian'an.

"It will be a big blow for the team's preparations for the Beijing Olympic Games if he cannot be fit again. We did not call him up for the world league because I hoped he would come back fitter and stronger."

"I hope there will be miracle, for him living a happy life and returning to the court."

The cost of his surgery and recovery will be covered by Shanghai's Labor & Social Security Bureau.

"Shanghai has been a model of how to support the injured financially. There is no need to worry about Tang's expenditure relating to the injury," the source from the sports bureau said.

(China Daily June 19, 2007)