Star hurdler Liu Xiang will undergo surgery early next month in the United States to repair the Achilles injury that forced him out of the Beijing Olympics.

Liu was given his Performance of the Year trophy for 2006 during the IAAF World Athletic Gala in Monte Carlo on Sunday. He finally accepted the award as he was not able to attend the World Athletic Gala in 2006.

Liu Xiang displays his Performance of the Year trophy for 2006 during the IAAF World Athletic Gala in Monte Carlo on Sunday.

"I do not know how long the rehabilitation period will last, but I hope to return to competition before June," Liu said at the award ceremony. "I intend to compete in the 2009 IAAF World Championships in August."

He was scheduled to return to Shanghai today and fly to Houston as soon as preparations for the US trip were ready, Youth Daily said today.

Liu was China's first male gold medalist in Olympic track and field history. He shocked the host nation when he withdrew from a 110m heat during the Beijing Olympics in August.

Houston Rockets center Yao Ming has offered a lot of help with Liu's treatment in the US. Yao's father is busy these days looking for a house near the hospital where Liu will receive the operation and a car to rent.

Yao and Liu are close friends. Liu gave Yao two Transformers toys as a gift when he was having medical checks last time in the US, the report said.

Liu's mother Ji Fenhua will cook for his son during his time in the US and is being given cooking lessons by nutrition experts.

"I am so happy to stay with him for several months, take care of him and cook his favorite dishes," Ji told the newspaper. "It is really rare for me since he is busy training all the time. I used to wait until he has a holiday, which is often very short."

Liu's father Liu Xuegen will stay in Shanghai to look after the hurdler's 91-year-old grandfather, Ji added.

Liu Xuegen also told the newspaper that the Athletics Administrative Center under the General Administration of Sport of China would dispatch doctors to the US to help Liu Xiang with his recovery.

"In addition to the surgery, there is training and rehabilitation. The US doctors are not Liu's private doctors and they are not likely to take everything into consideration," Liu Xuegen was quoted as saying.

Liu's coach Sun Haiping has already determined Liu's training schedule.

"We will consult with US doctors and try to gradually increase the intensity of training after the operation," Sun told the newspaper. "With the help of Yao and the Athletics Administrative Center, the training venue is not a problem."

(Shanghai Daily November 26, 2008)