Hurdler Liu to have foot surgery

Former Olympic 110m hurdles champion Liu Xiang is to undergo foot surgery and the Chinese athlete is unsure if he will be able to race at all next year.

The surgery in December will remove calcifications on his Achilles tendon.

Xiang pulled out of his first-round heat at the Beijing Olympics at the last moment and may now be unable to defend his world title in Berlin.

"I don't care so much about next season, whether I compete or not," the 25-year-old said.

"I really can't remember clearly the last time I didn't feel any pain," added Liu, who will have the operation in Houston in the United States and expects to take a minimum six months to recover.

"I always felt pain when wearing spikes. I competed early in the season, at the Olympic test event, and felt quite good.

"I never thought I couldn't compete in the Olympic Games. When I entered the stadium, I didn't think that I couldn't compete. I just tried to do my best."

The pain was even with him when he set the then world record of 12.88 seconds in Lausanne in 2006.

Berlin hosts the worlds between 15 and 23 August.