BLADE RUNNER PISTORIUS WINS 400M PARALYMPICS GOLD
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 09 Sep 2012
Oscar Pistorius of South Africa finally won his first individual gold medal on the last day of competition of the 2012 London Paralympics as he crosses the finish line way ahead of his rivals in the finals of the men's 400m - T44. The ?Blade Runner? set a new Paralympic record 46.68, more than three seconds ahead of the nearest challenger.
American Blake Leeper finished second and another USA athlete David Prince was third. ?This has been the most phenomenonally successful Olympic and Paralympic Games and I think the world is finally seeing that Paralympic sport is truly elite,? Pistorius said.
He took the silver medal in the 200 meters in a shock loss because he set a world record of 21.30 seconds in the semi-finals. He anticipated his loss though in the 100 meters. Together with his teammates, they won the gold medal in the 4 ? 100 meter relay with a world record time of 41.78 seconds.
Pistorius has double below-knee amputations but competes in T44 events for single below knee amputees, though he is actually classified in T43 for double below knee amputees.
In 2007, Pistorius started joining his first international competitions for able-bodied athletes. His Flex-Foot Cheetah carbon fiber transtibial prosthese became the subject of controversy and was suspected that he had an unfair advantage over able-bodied runners. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) then banned the use of "any technical device that incorporates springs, wheels or any other element that provides a user with an advantage over another athlete not using such a device."
Scientists analyzed that Pistorius had a significant advantage over athletes without prosthetic limbs. The IAAF then ruled him disqualified for track competitions under the federation?s rules, including the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
This decision was reversed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on the argument that since he was slower at the starting blocks than an able-bodied athlete there was inadequate proof that Pistorius had a general advantage over able-bodied athletes without prosthetics.
At the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, he won gold medals in the 100, 200 and 400 meters (T44 category). At the 2012 London Olympics, Pistorius became the first double leg amputee to participate in the Olympics for able-bodied athletes. He joined the men's 400 meters and was part of South Africa's 4 ? 400 m relay team.
Pistorius was born in Johannesburg with fibular hemimelia (congenital absence of the fibula) in both legs. It caused the amputation of his legs halfway between his knees and ankles at the age 11 months old.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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