Pole-vaulting legend Yelena Isinbayeva started her sporting career as a gymnast until she simply became too tall.

Coach Fang Shuiquan brought Liu Xiang onto the right track to become China's first Olympic hudling champion. [Agencies]

China's first men's track Olympic champion Liu Xiang has a similar sport-switching story. He started as a high jumper and 100m sprinter before leaping into the 110m hurdles, an event which made him a world champion.

For Isinbayeva, the switch to pole vault came almost naturally, however, Liu owes a lot to one man who recognized his natural potential.

If it were not for coach Fang Shuiquan, Liu could have remained a mediocre high jumper, and quit the sports field long before.

Fang discovered Liu in 1995 when the 12-year-old was being beaten in most of his events during a local school athletic meet. As he watched the boy sprint 100m and launch himself into the long jump, Fang noticed a special rhythm, flexibility and saw the boy had strong ankles.

Fang approached Liu and told him he was focusing on the wrong events. The coach asked if he'd like to switch to hurdles. "Sure," the Shanghai boy answered.

Fang said he was not fully sure if Liu would grow taller enough to be a competitive hurdler. The boy only stood at 1.68 meters.

The coach asked to meet Liu's parents but Fang's heart sunk when he saw Liu's father, who stood at a medium height of 1.72m.

Liu Xiang of China walks off the track after announcing to the crowd his decision to pull out of the men's 110 meters hurdles race at the Reebok Grand Prix athletics meet in New York May 31, 2008. Liu decided not to run because of a tight hamstring muscle in his leg. [Agencies ]

"Liu Xiang doesn't really follow me much in height, but he does follow his mother," reassured Liu's father immediately after he understood the coach's potential worry. "She is a tall woman and you know, Liu's uncle is very tall indeed, 1.85m to be exact."

Fang soon took Liu as his student and training began. By the time Fang handed Liu over to his current coach Sun Haiping, China's national hurdling coach and Liu's current mentor, Liu was already a national hurdling champion.

"Liu is very gifted at hurdling, and works hard as well," said Fang.

"He once told me that he would increase his record by one second within two months, which I took as a bluff, but he did it."

Fang, a graduate of the Shanghai University of Sport, had originally wanted to coach soccer but after becoming a specialist in the 110m hurdles it became his passion. The 57-year-old is now one of the most respected athletics coaches in China. All of China's top 10 men's hurdlers are his former students.

The nation's best young hurdlers train with Fang until 18 and then the fastest will go to work under Shanghai provincial team coach Sun, as Liu does.

Fang had originally hoped to be in Beijing for the biggest race of Liu's life, but he doesn't want to interrupt his current students' training for an upcoming competition.

He also may miss the opportunity of noticing another boy with special rhythm, flexibility and strong ankles.

Agencies