China's Olympic 110-metre hurdles champion Liu Xiang (L) is considering insuring his record-breaking legs -- if he can find a company to issue a policy, his coach was quoted as saying Monday. [Agencies/file photo]

A great deal of money rides on the legs of the world's fastest hurdler, who is backed to the tune of millions of dollars by top corporate sponsors.

"If there is a company out there that can do a policy just for his legs, then we will think seriously about it," coach Sun Haiping told the Beijing News.

Sun said that Chinese athletes at Liu's level were under-insured, covered only by a collective team policy, and the coach said he was considering going to China's sports ministry to take up the proposal for Liu's legs.

"Even I have got my own personal insurance policy, my home insurance and my work insurance, but Liu Xiang only has the common athletics team policy and not an individual one," he said.

However, China's growing insurance industry had yet to stretch to policies on individual limbs and Liu could establish another record as the first person in the country to ensure his own body parts, according to the news report.

"We are getting more aware of the need for insurance -- you don't fear the million things you predict can happen ... only the one thing you don't know will happen," said Sun.

In-form Liu, 23, who set a new 110m hurdles world record last year after winning the 2004 Olympic title, said last week he could improve that record as he prepares for the world championships in Japan at the end of August and in early September.

He then plans to defend his Olympic title at the Beijing Games next year.