Former world champion Liu Xiang set to retire: report

Liu Xiang celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the Men's 110 hurdles final at the 2004 Olympic Games in this Aug 27, 2004 file photo. [Photo/IC]

BEIJING - A Chinese newspaper says the country's former Olympic champion hurdler Liu Xiang plans to announcement his retirement next week following nagging injuries.

The Shanghai native has not competed since withdrawing at the London Olympics in 2012 after rupturing his Achilles tendon. He pulled out of the 2008 Beijing Games with a similar injury.

The 31-year-old Liu became one of China's best-known athletes by winning the 110-meter hurdles title at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

The Shanghai newspaper Xinmin News said Liu would announce his retirement on his official microblog on Tuesday.

Liu had already announced that he did not expect to compete at the athletics world championships in Beijing in August.