BEIJING, Oct. 10-- Zhang Liangying, whose fame has grown as third-place finisher in the nation's televised"Super Girl" singing contest, had hoped that Olympic Gold medal hurdler Liu Xiang might attend the Super Girls' concert in Shanghai.

She tried to lure him there with an offer of two free concert tickets, but Liu, apparently too busy with other matters, didn't show up.

A report in the Beijing News story said Zhang met Liu at his training camp, just after she had arrived Thursday in Shanghai. Zhang and the other Super Girls had arrived in the city in preparation for the Super Girls' second concert in coastal metropolis as part of a national tour.

Zhang, hailed by many as the best singer and prettiest among the red-hot contestants, admitted Liu was her idol, and told reporters she had been"very happy" to see him up close.

The singer also said she could still recall all the"emotional moments" she and other Chinese felt when witnessing Liu win the gold medal for China in Athens last summer.

When the young woman and Liu chatted briefly at his camp, the hurdler told Zhang he had been really impressed by her English singing skills and thought she had been"really competitive" in the contest. He joked that he wanted to learn some singing skills from Zhang, if possible. The hurdler has been taking English lessons.

That's when Zhang offered him two concert tickets- one for Liu and the other for his coach. Excited, she went on watching the formidable Liu work out.

However, Liu didn't choose to attend the concert, apparently too busy preparing for his upcoming performances at the 10th National Games set for October 20.

Zhang, a rapidly rising singing star, lost in the Super Girls' competition to champion, Li Yuchuan, who won with a boyish charm. The spectacled Zhou Bichang, whose songs were called"soulful," placed second.

Media reports have indicated that many of China's professional footballers are diehard Super Girls fans, but no confirmed sightings of the girls have been made with any of the players.

(Source: chinadaily.com.cn)