With sizzling fame earned from his 110m hurdles worldwide dominance, Liu Xiang never lags behind in the area of charity. The young hurdler and his coach are reported to have donated 250,000 yuan to HuaShan Hospital in his hometown Shanghai to help treat elderly people suffering from cataract, Jiefang Daily reported.

The 23-year-old young man, the world record holder and "Prince Charming" among Chinese people down played his charity move in his trademark childish style. "Those grandpas and grandmas suffering from cataract are old now and feel lonely. It will be a sad thing that they are even not able to watch TV and read papers," he said. "It is an honor for me to help them."

Coach Sun Haiping echoed his student. "Liu's achievement can never be reached without the public encouragement and support. A fame-laden person must reward the society."

The ace coach and his ace athlete learned from Jiefang Daily that the hospital had been giving cataract operations for impoverished elderly people and then they donated the money in a low-profile fashion.

Liu's father also gave a low key response to his son's donation, "It is nothing and we don't need any propaganda. We have been telling our son to respect the elders and care others since he was small," he said during a telephone interview with Yangtze Evening News.

The young man has been enjoying a wide public praise for being a respectful child. The first thing he dose during leaves after international events is to visit his grandfather and present his medal to the old man.

Coach Sun, who sent his old mother to an elders' home before 2004 Athens Games for the sake of the Olympic run-up also won respect from his student and his family. Fresh from Athens Games with the glittering Olympic gold, the young man asked his coach to take him along to visit the coach's mother, whom Liu addresses "grandma". Liu's parents are frequenters to elders' home to accompany the old lady.

Praise flowed from the mouths of the beneficiary elderly patients of Liu's donation, "Xiao Liu is a good boy," they thumbed up.

"It will be good for the society if there are more people like Liu and coach Sun," said a security company employee in Shanghai.

Liu has been taking every opportunity to return the society since his glorious Olympic gold capture in Athens more than two years ago. He donated for three times to the 2004 tsunami-plagued countries. In 2006, he gave out all the money from his autobiography sale and the auction of his sports suits he worn in Athens to charity institutes.

It is an old saying that never forget where one's happiness comes from. Liu never forgets that his accomplishment comes from his family, coach and people. It will be a vigorous push to a harmonious society and inspiring pilot to mass people if more, especially those laden with fame and gain of Liu's kind emerge.

(China Daily December 26, 2006)