TheFinalSprint.com - Track & Field, Marathons, Racing News, Training Advice, Elite Athlete Blogs, Interviews, Podcasts, Videos and More!

Lead Stories: Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Podcast 33: Interview with Brian Frasure; Paralympic runner and Ossur prosthetist

Posted April 1st, 2007 at 12:52 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

Episode 33 of The Final Sprint Podcast features my interview with Brian Frasure; one of the world’s premier Paralympic sprinters, a motivational speaker, a certified prosthetist for Ossur and a true inspiration to athletes around the world.

Brian’s dominance has gone unmatched for more than a decade now. He has set several world records, won a multitude of medals and his performances have permanently elevated the level of Paralympic competition.

In the interview Brian speaks about the tragic accident that changed his life forever, beating the odds to become an elite Paralympic athlete, and his decision to delay retirement.

In light of the IAAF’s recent decision regarding the use of “technical aids” and the accomplishments of Oscar Pistorius, Brian addresses the notion that prosthetics can provide amputee runners with an unfair advantage over their able-bodied peers.

Download the podcast to hear Brian discuss these topics, a comparison between single and double-leg amputee runners, Marlon Shirley, working for Ossur and his advice for others facing major challenges.

Listen In
[PLAY] (To Download: Right click and select “save as”)

[RSS] Add The Final Sprint Podcast RSS feed to your RSS reader to have the show delivered to you

Host: Adam Jacobs
Guest: Brian Frasure
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 17.7 MB
Length: 00:25:54

Check out every episode of TFS’s Podcast in iTunes!

Interested in featuring The Final Sprint Podcast on your site, blog or My Space page? Click here to learn how!

Read the rest of this entry »

2 comments, add yours | Permalink

Podcast 16: Exclusive interview w/ Oscar Pistorius, the amputee runner on the verge of making history

Posted February 16th, 2007 at 6:00 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Motivation, Success Stories, Track & Field, Columns, Success Stories, Olympics, Special Features, Podcasts

The Final Sprint and I have the utmost respect and admiration for handicapped athletes and are proud to be official sponsors of the Challenged Athletes Foundation. These gifted individuals demonstrate incredible resolve and the power of the human spirit by successfully participating, competing and excelling in athletics despite their physical disabilities.

Today’s podcast features an interview with one such hero and TFS’s February 2007 Success Story honoree. His name is Oscar Pistorius and he is a 20-year old South African Paralympic runner known as “The Fastest Thing on No Legs”.

After having both of his legs amputated below the knee when he was only 11-months old, Oscar has exemplified the astounding spirit of these challenged athletes. Oscar is sponsored by Ossur and with the aid of their Cheetah Flex-Foot prosthetics, Oscar has ran his his way to multiple Paralympic gold medals and set world records in the 100, 200 and 400m events. He has also gone on to break his own world records 19 times in a single year and has successfully competed against able-bodied runners.

Having already attained unparalleled success, Oscar is now on the verge of making history once again – but this time by becoming the first amputee to ever compete in the able-bodied Olympics.

However, even if Oscar is able to run a qualifying time, he could still sadly be denied the opportunity to compete in the Olympics because he has attracted a number of critics who believe his prosthetics provide him with an unfair advantage. No able-bodied sports federation, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has ever been forced to consider rules for athletes with prosthetics. As the IOC struggles to make decision, Oscar has kept his head-up and pushed forward despite the uncertainty that surrounds his future.

Download the podcast to hear my exclusive interview with Oscar where we discuss his life, historic achievements, the controversy, how he deals with the critics and the very real possibility of him redefining society’s concept of human potential.

Listen In
[MP3] Direct Download (Right click, select “save as”).
[RSS] Add The Final Sprint Podcast RSS feed to your RSS reader to have the show delivered to you

Host: Adam Jacobs
Guest: Oscar Pistorius
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 29.4MB
Length: 00:42:55