Despite the fact that Oscar Pistorius is not named among the contenders for Olympic gold, all starts of this South African runner will certainly attract increased attention from the press and spectators. The reason is that the 25-year-old athlete has no legs below the knees; he competes with regular runners on prostheses.
Oscar Pistorius was born with a birth defect, which is believed to be caused by environmental problems. Below the knees, he had no bones, and the child's legs were amputated when he was not yet a year old. Therefore, Pistorius uses prostheses almost all his life and does things incredible from the point of view of most people on them - Oscar went in for sports from school, and it was not chess or shooting, but rugby, wrestling, water polo. Later he concentrated on athletics - sprinting.
Pistorius has participated in international competitions for people with disabilities more than once. He has three gold medals at the World Championships for the disabled, gold and bronze medals at the 2004 Paralympic Games and three first places at the same 2008 Games. His successes impressed the sports community so much that in 2005 the International Athletics Federation invited the South African to participate in the Golden League and Grand Prix stages - the most prestigious competitions of the world's strongest athletes. In 2011, Oscar received silver for participating in the 4x400 meters relay at the World Championships, and this year, even before the start of the London Olympics, he won two silver awards at the African Championships.
Pistorius' prostheses are carbon fiber structures designed and manufactured by the Icelandic firm Ossur. Their unique properties are such that the International Association of the IAAF even commissioned a study to find out if they give the athlete an advantage over ordinary runners. In January 2008, a conclusion was received with an affirmative answer - the spring properties of the lightweight polymer make running much easier. Therefore, the IAAF decided to ban the Oscar from competing with regular runners. However, in May of the same year, a more detailed study appeared, which took into account negative factors - for example, difficult start and cornering. The International Federation reversed its decision.
At the London Olympics, Oscar Pistorius is scheduled to compete in the 400m individual and relay races.
