Sports star and showbiz celebrity

BEIJING, Oct. 10 -- Pick up any fashion magazine nowadays and you are bound to wonder: Is this a sports star or a showbiz celebrity? The line between sports and entertainment is becoming increasingly blurred. Eight-medal winner Michael Phelps is reportedly having a go at Hollywood, while in China, former Olympic champion, gymnast Liu Xuan, was thrust into the limelight when she retired in 2001. But now, after several years in showbiz, Liu is making a comeback. "I've come full circle," Liu says, referring to her Olympic career. "I have been trying new things for seven years and now am moving back to what I did in the past." The 29-year-old has gone from China's first Olympic balance beam champion at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, to actress, singer and TV show host, and now to TV sports commentator and journalist with Hong... [read full story]