GRACEFUL and lithe, the award-winning dancer was to have wowed at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics last Friday.

But Ms Liu Yan missed her solo performance.

An injury sustained during a night rehearsal on 27 Jul has left her paralysed from the waist down, leaving her dance career in tatters, reported South China Morning Post.

The 26-year-old, a traditional Chinese dancer from the Beijing Dance Academy, was to have a significant role in the four-hour ceremony, reported Hong Kong newspapers.

Ms Liu had practised several hundred times for her two-minute appearance.

As part of her performance, Ms Liu was supposed to execute a jump from a 'flying carpet' onto a moving platform, which was pushed by other performers.

However, while her left leg landed on the platform, her right leg was still up in the air when the platform was shifted.

Losing her balance, she tumbled down from the 3m-high platform.

The reports said she landed hard on her back on top of some metal rails.

She was immediately taken to hospital, where she went through a six-hour long operation, leaving her paralysed from the waist down.

The controversy-ridden opening ceremony went on without Ms Liu - with an understudy called in to replace her.

The ceremony's chief director Zhang Yimou was especially moved by Ms Liu's plight.

Yangtze Evening News reported on its blog that the renowned director visited the dancer with two other co-directors on Tuesday.

The emotional Mr Zhang was quoted as telling Ms Liu: 'This is my heart's greatest pain, you are my heart's real hero.

'I greatly hope to see you standing, that would make me happier than any applause or praise.'

Zhang also revealed that instead of feeling overjoyed after the ceremony ended, he had been feeling upset because of this.

Despite the harsh blow she received, Ms Liu has managed to stay positive.

She thanked the directors for visiting her and assured them she would bravely face her future and faithfully adhere to her medical treatment.

She told them: 'I want to create a miracle for you.'

The three directors reportedly cried upon hearing this.

This article was first published in The New Paper on Aug 14, 2008.