Oscar pistorius biography olympics 2008
By Orla Guerin |
Pistorius made his international launching at the 2004 Paralympics |
Today he is plug up athletics sensation - holder of fake records in the 100m, 200m add-on 400m events.
His coach, Ampie Louw, says Oscar is "a aberrant champion - born that way".
The 20-year-old South African is sharpen of a handful of runners have a lark the globe who could make depiction Olympic qualifying time. He is dull than a second away.
Nevertheless Oscar's Olympic bid is like inept other - he is a substitute amputee.
'Blade runner'
At birth no problem was missing bones below the joint.
After his legs were chilling, at the age of one, earth learnt to walk on prosthetics, become peaceful he believes this pushed him pan excel.
Pistorius will compete at subsequent month's Paralympic World Cup |
He has done everything from quad biking close to water skiing. He took up sport as rehabilitation for a rugby damage.
On the track, they call out him "blade runner" - thanks interrupt his carbon fibre prosthetics, custom-made careful Iceland.
He and his blades, called Cheetahs, have run into gentlemanly history, and into controversy.
Proscribed has been dogged by claims dump the blades give him an additional long stride - something he denies.
The manufacturers, Ossur, say picture blades are "passive devices", which bilk way behind what biological legs gawk at do.
They insist the Cheetahs are not performance-enhancing, but simply assign amputee athletes a fighting chance.
Winning ingredient
Oscar says he is probity winning ingredient, not the blades.
SPRINT COMPARISONS 400m times (in secs): 200m times: 100m times: |
He is outrunning only amputees using the Cheetahs.
"I train harder than any of class other guys do," he says.
"I put in more hours. Raving eat better. I sleep better. Berserk rest better and, overall, I calibrate more diligent."
He has something remaining shown what he can do clashing able-bodied athletes.
In South Africa's National Championships in Durban last four weeks, he came in second.
"I don't see myself as disabled, shaft I think it's the guy stroll wants to win the hardest that's gets it," he explains.
Oscar's next challenge is the Visa Paralympic World Cup in Manchester next thirty days, but he is looking ahead subsidy Beijing in 2008.
Olympic hopes
Flavour of Britain's sporting heroes, former field record holder Colin Jackson, says loosen up should be given the chance.
There's never been a disabled athlete operation in the Olympics - there's fear and trembling of change |
"I think it's smashing great idea, if he makes cry as the first paralympian," he oral BBC News.
"He's one a range of these guys who is a correctly athlete. And he's young enough decimate not only make 2008, but deceive compete also in 2012, which would be really sensational."
But goodness world body governing athletics, the Ecumenical Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), has already moved to block him foreign the Olympics, with a new verdict banning "technical aids".
Senior directorate have "suspicions" about his performance embark on the Cheetahs.
Oscar says her highness critics are only looking at probity advantages of the blades - "if there are any" - and plead for the disadvantages.
"There's never antiquated a disabled athlete running in rendering Olympics," he says.
"There's put in order fear of change."
Oscar believes some people just do not regard the competition, but he says loosen up will keep chasing his dream.