Crowds arrive at national stadium, reax to Liu Xiang pull out

(18 Aug 2008) 1. Wide of National stadium known as the "Bird's Nest" with people leaving 2. People leaving Bird's Nest stadium, heels of a statue in foreground 3. SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) Cui Yun, Liu fan: "We waited here for five days, it's a real pity." 4. Wide of crowd outside stadium 5. SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) Meng Decheng, Liu fan: "At that time we all felt as though we had been sucked dry in a single second." 6. People holding Chinese flag 7. SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) Sun Peng, Liu fan: "Liu Xiang has already brought pride to China." 8. Wide of people walking with stickers of Chinese flag on their faces 9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Wang Wei, BOCOG spokesman: "They will be disappointed, but I think they will understand, when somebody has an accident, you can't help it. " 10. Child eating ice cream outside stadium STORYLINE: Dreams have been shattered - their biggest sporting star has limped out of the 2008 Olympics. Defending Olympic champion Liu Xiang pulled out of the 110-metre hurdles on Monday, after injuring himself before the race, proper, got underway. Liu, who has been struggling for months with a hamstring injury, left the blocks, took a few awkward steps, then pulled up when the starting pistol sounded a second time to signal a false start. But it may have been a foot injury which caused his untimely withdrawal. His coach said Liu was forced to retire after suffering "intolerable" pain. Fans outside the Olympic arena expressed disappointment and sadness at news of his injury. "At that time we all felt as though we had been sucked dry in a single second," Liu fan Meng Decheng said. But, regardless of Liu's bad luck in Beijing, fans continue to show admiration. "Liu Xiang has already brought pride to China," Sun Peng told AP Television. Olympic Organising Committee vice president Wang Wei said he thought Chinese people would understand the situation. "They will be disappointed, but I think they will understand," Wang said. "When somebody has an accident, you can't help it." Liu had carried the hopes of a nation on his shoulders. He was seen as China's best hope of Olympic gold on the track. He enjoys the same iconic status in China as Western sports stars like David Beckham or Olympian Michael Phelps. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...