Oscar Pistorius makes Olympic history in 400m at London 2012

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Pistorius becomes the first amputee sprinter to compete at the 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.

Merritt pulls up in men's 400m

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246 comments

  • For me, he's certainly blurred the lie between Olympians and Para-Olympians! I take my hat off to him, .....he just leaves me in awe......Wow.!

  • @Diamondrush. Are you trolling? In the interest of fairness? If "able-bodied" athletes were to compete in the Paralympics then surely in your own words they would be competing "with equipment not available to other entrants".

  • My view is any athlete who is able to meet the qualifying criteria should be allowed to compete.

  • Would any of the able-bodied athletes want to swap places with him for his so-called "advantage"? No, they wouldn't. So let's just get on with it: may the best person win.

    All forms of apartheid are wrong.

  • Doesn't give him an advantage? Where would he be without them? Back at the start!
    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.

  • If he's allowed to compete, good on him and good luck. But my sympathies are with the able-bodied athlete who misses out for the next round. The guy doesn't have lower legs and can't run unaided. He needs contraptions to simulate running and therefor it is not a true competition.

  • @15 You have unwittingly demonstrated that the Cheetahs give OP a significant advantage. If he "can't train as much" then he won't be as fit as an able-bodied athlete, yet he is still running 45 seconds. With more training (if they make the Cheetah more comfortable, or his body gets more tolerant of them) he may start running 44s - times which only a tiny fraction of athletes can manage.

  • One issue that no-one appears to have mentioned is that OP has a clear advantage over normally abled athletes, who, unlike him, are vulnerable to a huge array of injuries affecting feet and ankles. I'm sure that there are other injury vulnerabilities that he is uniquely exposed to, but they would not come close to those that other athletes must protect against.

  • First the swimmers, then the rowers, you go Oscar, inspire the rest of the athletics team. We want to see more medals coming home but making finals or semis is already SUCCESS.

  • It is in my opinion beyond doubt that in the future there will be records in the PG's which exceed those set in the "regular" games. This should not take anything away from either games but should demonstrate why they cannot mix and remain fair for all. I will celebrate both equally. A shame that Lou25 cannot debate something like this without becoming personally offensive.

  • Advantaged or disadvantaged by having sprung legs? No one, probably not even Oscar, knows which.

    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?

  • @Lou25: That this is your reaction shows a good deal of why he is at the games - people who wish to have a debate based on rational science are treated as bigots. How fast would he have to run for you to think otherwise? Your response demonstrated not only why he is at the games but also that you believe the Paralympics are somehow inferior....

  • Thanks Lou25, I have read up on OP and his limbs and am not ignorant. Have you read the pieces on http://www.sportsscientists.com/ ? Very detailed and hard to argue against

    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?

  • Pistorious has overcome the most adverse of circumstances to stand up and compete with 'able bodied' athletes in the olympics and not the para olympics. He is proving to the world that people who are commonly labelled 'disabled' do not have to be. Let's cheer him on all the way.

  • Can anyone explain why he's not in the Paralympics? Nothing against the guy, but what are the Paras for then?

  • Thank God Pistorius' eligibilty is not determined by what so many unqualified armchair experts think. From what I have read I understand his prostheses don't give him any advantage. For the record each Olympic event is open to any athlete who meet the criteria - having a disability isn't, automatically, a disqualification. Obviously Paralympic events have different criteria.

  • Let's not over-intellectualise all this. I'm not particularly sports-minded, and I generally don't get a fluttering heart when I watch sporting events. But sitting here, and seeing the achievements of this fine man - sporting and personal - makes me smile and feel inspired. All kudos to you, Oscar, and to all who strive for something great, unexpected or challenging.

  • Lou, the science used in this case is at best inconclusive and unquestionably demonstrates many differences in the way OP and others compete. This is also in many ways a philosophical debate - which you have once again soured with insults. One final point - you say you do not think the PG's are inferior and in the next sentence discuss "the Olympic level" - what do you think the "PG level" is?

  • Now Oscar has made his point and run in the Olympics, I hope that he is no longer allowed to participate in the Paralympics.

    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.

  • I have to agree with 105. It's a complete disgrace that OP is allowed to run in the Olympics. Surely it is an advantage that he cannot suffer any form of injury below the kneee that an able bodied athlete could suffer. I see this as a distinct advantage to OP.
    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!

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