In baggy jeans, sneakers and a Nike windbreaker, Liu Xiang stood on the observation deck of the Empire State Building on Wednesday morning. Perhaps surprisingly, he did not have a sports psychologist at his side.

Just 71 days before the Beijing Games, Liu may be carrying a greater mental weight than any Olympic athlete. He is the biggest sports star in the world’s most populous nation — a nation that expects Liu to deliver a crowning moment in the Games by successfully defending his gold medal in the 110-meter hurdles.

But on Wednesday, Liu played down the pressure, insisting that his status as China’s face of the Games does not affect him.