HOUSTON, Dec 6: Former world and Olympic champion hurdler Liu Xiang underwent successful surgery for a foot injury on Friday that forced him to withdraw at the starting line during the Beijing Olympics.

Dr. Tom Clanton said 25-year-old Liu had four small pieces of bone removed from the Achilles’ tendon in his right foot in a one-hour operation at the Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Centre in Houston.

Clanton, who operated on Houston Rockets center Yao Ming’s injured foot this year, said Liu will fully recover.—AP