Liu Xiang

Liu Xiang shattered barriers by winning the 2004 Olympic 110m hurdles in a then-world-record 12.91 seconds, the first Asian man to claim an Olympic sprint gold. His performance was 0.03 seconds faster than the prior record, marking a 0.23% improvement. Unlike #1 Yao Ming's team-sport reign, Liu's individual sprint triumph required explosive speed, yet his fame endures as a benchmark for Asian track athletes.