After the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned a ban Friday by the International Association of Athletics Federations, double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius can compete in the Beijing Olympic Games. What does this mean for the future of track and field?
Pistorius, 21, is a South African athlete who has excelled in Paralympic competition. He holds Paralympic world records in the 100, 200 and 400-meter events. His strongest event is the 400, in which he has a personal-best time of 46.56 seconds.
The Olympic “A” standard in the 400 is 45.55 seconds. After the debate over allowing Pistorius to compete against able-bodied athletes, will he even make the team? If not, he still has a shot at the South African 4×400-meter relay team, which does not require a qualifying time. He also plans to compete at the 2008 Paralympic Games, in Beijing, Sept. 6-17.
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Today, it was announced that Oscar Pistorius has made the 2008 TIME 100, the annual list published by TIME Magazine, which identifies the 100 most influential people in the world. Oscar is in good company, including the Dalai Lama, Lance Armstrong, Nelson Mandela, Vladimir Putin, and Al Gore.
While TIME refuses to rank the 100 in importance, but does create categories – Oscar is listed third in the Heroes & Pioneers list, just after Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Oprah Winfrey – the magazine also conducted a poll amongst its readers to hear whom they thought should be on the list, and Oscar placed 19th.
Just one year ago, very few people in the world were aware of this young South African bilateral amputee who may very well change the history of sport because of his resolve and determination to compete on equal ground and without apologies against able-bodied athletes.
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One of the most talked-about sports stories of the past year is the controversy surrounding Oscar Pistorius, the bi-lateral amputee sprinter who is trying to make a bid for the Olympics and is appealing the IAAF’s ruling that he has a technical advantage. Ossur, the maker of those Cheetahs, invites everyone to form their own opinion based on new information as presented by ESPN’s E:60, Good Morning America, Nightline, and ESPN Magazine.
Looking for insights into this game-changing issue that raises scientific, ethical and philosophical questions, and for the past three months, ESPN’s investigative journalists have traveled the globe to learn more. They interviewed Oscar, his family, coach, prosthetist, friends, competitors, lawyers, and Ossur, too. They also interviewed Professor Bruggemann, the German doctor who originally tested him on behalf of the IAAF.
What to see on April 15th:
In addition, ESPN Magazine’s April 21st cover story will delve into Oscar’s case.
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The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) is honored to unveil the medals for the Paralympic Games of 2008.
Leading officials of BOCOG and the China Disabled Persons’ Federation, representative of athletes with a disability and representatives of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic medal sponsor BHP Billiton attended today’s press conference as mock-ups of the medals for the Paralympic Games of 2008 were on display at the Beijing Olympic Media Center.
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Last week, Oscar Pistorius established three new world amputee sprint records. Running at the Nedbank Championships for the Disabled in Germinston, South Africa, the 20-year-old Paralympian gold medalist has continued to live up to his reputation as “the fastest thing on no legs” by shaving time off his own 100m, 200m and 400m World Records.
He has now smashed World Records that he established since competing in the Paralympic Games in Athens 26 times. His 10.91 second time in the 100m on Wednesday, April 4, 2007, makes Pistorius the first amputee to officially break the 11-second mark.
The young phenomenon followed this up on Thursday, April 5, 2007 with a win in the 200m when he ran the race in 21.58 seconds. Then on Friday, April 6, 2007, Pistorius clocked a time of 49.16 seconds, or.26 seconds off the previous world record of 49.42 seconds. In all instances, timing was electronic and wind dated. Jan Bodvag from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) was on hand to certify the authenticity of the World Records.
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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.
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[RSS] Add The Final Sprint Podcast RSS feed to your RSS reader to have the show delivered to youHost: Adam Jacobs
Guest: Brian Frasure
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 17.7 MB
Length: 00:25:54
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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.
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[RSS] Add The Final Sprint Podcast RSS feed to your RSS reader to have the show delivered to youHost: Adam Jacobs
Guest: Oscar Pistorius
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 29.4MB
Length: 00:42:55
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Oscar Pistorius, a paralympic gold-medalist, is fighting his way to an enormous personal and historical victory. With a mere three-second improvement he will surpass his own world record (47.3 seconds in the 400m) and get a step closer to qualifying for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. If Pistorius succeeds, he could become the first handicapped-athlete to ever compete in the able-bodied Olympics.
Pistorius was born with a condition afflicting his legs; rendering him without bone mass from both the knees down. This condition left him no choice but to have both of his legs amputated; a surgery that took place when he was only eleven-months old.
Although he began his track career just a few, short few years ago, Pistorius has already become quite an accomplished athlete; setting para-athletic world records in the 100m (11.16 sec), 200m (21.97), and 400m length events.
Pistorius is quite optimistic about his chances of achieving his next dream and qualifying for the Olympics; a feat that appears to be rather attainable.
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