Athens Olympic champion Xing Huina has been living in relative obscurity since she stunned the field by winning the 10,000m in the Greek capital in 2004.
Xing Huina of China celebrates winning the the 10,000m in the Athens Olympic Games in this 2004 file photo. [Xinhua]
Since then, the 24-year-old Shandong native has lost her form and missed a spot in the Chinese team for last August's Osaka World Championships.
She lost her coach, Wang Dexian, who was banned for life three years ago after another of his star runners, Sun Yingjie, failed a doping test.
Xing then suffered health problems and has been troubled by a knee injury since 2005.
With things quickly going belly-up, Xing is now seeking a lifeline from James Li, a Chinese-born track coach who manages the United States' athletics team.
Under a deal between Li and the Chinese Athletics Association (CAA), Xing will fly to the United States soon to train with the famed coach until the Beijing Games.
"Since I left Wang, I have been training alone. In the absence of a systematic training program and my teammates, it's impossible to maintain top form," Xing said.
James Li, better known as Li Li in China, was born in Chengdu but became an American citizen in 1998. He was named USA Track and Field Coach of the Year after producing world 1,500m and 5,000m champion Bernard Lagat.
Lagat, another naturalized American, became the first man to win both events at the worlds last year in Japan. The Kenya-born runner also claimed the United States' first-ever 5,000m podium finish at the annual tournament under Li's tutelage. Li has also produced a total of seven collegiate champions.
Li is seen as the last chance for the ailing runner, who has not yet qualified for this summer's Beijing Olympics.
"There is not much time left. I hope I will get back to my best form under Li," Xing said.
When the two last paired up at a training camp in 2006, however, things did not pan out as planned.
Xing joined a group of US-bound Chinese athletes training with Li but failed to improve as she expected and only exacerbated her knee injury.
Chinese athletics officials have been quick to defend Xing's choice and claim Li remains the best available solution.
"This time her body is in perfect shape and I am sure the outcome will be different," said CAA chief Feng Shuyong.
Xing faces a difficult road ahead. She must qualify for the Games by May and then hit peak form in the interim.
First, she needs a US visa, which will entail a few weeks' wait. Until then, she will train with local coach Yin Yanqin.
"I dare not think about my Olympic chances. The most important thing is to start training properly as soon as possible and get in competitive shape for the upcoming qualifiers," she said.