Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang will receive a surgery on his torn right Achilles tendon on Thursday afternoon (London time), according to a close friend of Liu Xiang, who refused to be identified.

The 29-year-old Liu crashed into the first hurdle in his heat on Tuesday, and fell on the ground, which ended his hope of restoring Olympic glory as he did in Athens.

"Liu will check in a renowned private hospital in London at 11 a.m.Thuraday (local time)," said the source, adding that Liu will later undergo an opertaion around 2 p.m..

Accordingly, Nick Cullen, a specialist on sports injuries, would opertate on Liu Xiang.

Liu reached his career peak at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, when he became the first Chinese athlete to win an Olympic track gold.