Will Chinese idol Yao Ming be able to compete in the Olympics?

China’s Olympic dream of basketball glory has been hit by a rude awakening - a tiny crack that you can barely notice even on a CT scan.

Yao Ming, the Houston Rockets’ All-Star center, was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his left foot that will end his NBA season, his team said on Tuesday (yesterday Beijing time).

He could even miss the Beijing Olympic Games this summer.

A tiny fracture — the kind that would put you or me on the couch with a cast — may put Yao out of the running for the Beijing Olympics. Whether they use a cast or surgery to deal with his injury, Yao’s rehabilitation time means he’ll be cutting it close ot recover and start training with the Chinese national team before the Olympic games. Any complications will put the basketball star out of the running for the Olympics. Yao said:

“If I cannot play in the Olympics for my country this time, that would be the biggest loss in my career.

“I’m looking forward to a fast recovery in whatever way will make me come back quicker.”

Here’s hoping that he’ll make a speedy recovery and be ready to impress his countrymen in August!

Via China Daily