Oscar Pistorius makes Olympic history in 400m at London 2012
Last updated on .From the section Olympics
South Africa's Oscar Pistorius made history by becoming the first amputee sprinter to compete at the Olympics.
The four-time Paralympic champion, 25, whose legs were amputated below the knee as a baby, finished second in his 400m heat in a time of 45.44 seconds to reach Sunday's semi-final.
"I didn't know if I should cry or be happy. It was such a mix of emotions," Pistorius told BBC Sport.
American defending champion LaShawn Merritt pulled up injured.
The 26-year-old, who failed a drugs test in 2009, appeared to be still suffering with an Achilles tendon problem that affected him earlier in the season.
He stopped running after 250m and crossed the line at walking pace.
"It's Olympic year - I tried to go for it, and it just didn't happen," he said.
Pistorius was impressive in his heat, coasting over the line behind Luguelin Santos of the Dominican Republic, who won in 45.04.
"Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me," he said. "Thank you so much to my family. I saw my gran in the crowd. It was the most amazing experience.
"I've got to thank my team, they trust me, I trust them. We've been together for nine years."
He added: "This crowd is amazing. I've run so many times in the UK and it feels like a second home to me."
Pistorius ran in the individual 400m at the 2011 World Championships but did not progress beyond the semi-finals.
He also ran in the relay, but, after running in the heats, was omitted from the team that won silver in the final.
Pistorius is also due to run in the 4x400m relay at London 2012 before defending his titles at the Paralympic Games.
British trio Conrad Williams, Nigel Devine and Martyn Rooney are also safely through to the semi-finals.
Comments
Join the conversation
All forms of apartheid are wrong.
Its a shame that if you are against his, or rather a participant with these prosthetics competing, then its viewed as anti-disability.
Which does no more than make disability something that should be pandered too, therefor lacking in the equality sought.
'Elevating' him to the Olympics gives many smug satisfaction.
The point is that this sets a precedent which will involve judgement on a whole range of prosthetics by the IOC who have little more idea than you or me.
I'm still waiting for someone to tell me whether it is OK for a boxer to compete with iron fists. Kent?
Did you know that the evidence presented to CAS may have been misrepresented and other evidence may well not have been seen at all by CAS?
Legal or otherwise, the use of artificial limbs in "able bodied" competition is just wrong, in my opinion. Pistorius has fewer muscles / joints etc to injure, besides which he has the option of lengthening or shortening his lower leg length and weight.
When will an able bodied person be able to take part in the Paralympics? Hey, perhaps I could enter the overweight 100 metres for men!