Harkeb
May 22nd, 2008, 03:13 AM
News on SA Olympic dreams and hopes for 2008
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Tears of joy as Oscar gets the nod
Kevin McCallum
May 17 2008 at 11:08AM
Oscar Pistorius, the "fastest man on no legs", cried when he took a significant step for himself yesterday but a giant leap for all of the planet's disabled after winning the right to compete at the Beijing Olympics.
The 21-year double amputee athlete, dubbed the "Bladerunner", won his appeal at the Court for Arbitration in Sport (CAS) in Lausanne against an International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) ban that prevented him from competing against able-bodied athletes. The CAF ruled Pistorius gained no advantage from his carbon-fibre prosthetic blades.
"I was just blown away when I found out," said Pistorius. "When they told me I cried. It is a battle that has been going on for far too long. It's a great day for sport. I think this day is going to go down in history for the equality of disabled people."
Andy Scott, who has been the driving force behind the South African Paralympic team for years, said it was the best news all year.
"I think this day is going to go down in history for the equality of disabled people"
"It's unbelievable, simply unbelievable," said Scott. "I can tell you this: if you listen carefully you will hear the sound of prosthetics and crutches being banged on the ground all round the world in celebration.
"Oscar must be commended for his absolute tenacity in pursuing his case. This is a huge step for sport for the disabled not only in South Africa but globally. It takes us that bit closer to the world of able-bodied sport, a world that has been closed off to the disabled for so long.
"What he and Natalie du Toit have achieved is incredible. When Natalie qualified for the Olympics it was a huge moment for South Africa. Now we have the opportunity to have both Natalie and Oscar at the Olympics and the Paralympics. That will be a huge inspiration for all disabled people, whether they take part in sport or not. Once again South Africa is leading the way."
Pistorius's appeal was taken up on a pro bono basis by international law firm of Dewey & LeBoeuf, who compiled a team of experts led by Professor Hugh Herr of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to refute the IAAF claims.
"I have to thank all the people who have been so supportive of me throughout all of this," said Pistorius. "There have been so many awesome people back home and around the world who have sent me SMSes or e-mails. My lawyers have been great throughout and kept me confident that things would go our way.
"Oscar must be commended for his absolute tenacity in pursuing his case"
"I hope the findings silence many of the crazy theories that have been going around about my having an unfair advantage. All I wanted to do was to get a fair shake for myself and for all disabled athletes to be given the chance to compete fairly with able-bodied athletes. I have the opportunity once again to chase my dream of the Olympics, if not 2008, in 2012."
Now the paper war has been won the hard work starts. Should Pistorius, now perhaps the most recognisable disabled athlete in the world, qualify for the 400m in Beijing in August, he will join fellow amputee Natalie du Toit.
Du Toit became the first amputee ever to qualify and swim at the Olympics; Pistorius could be the second, but needs to run under the Olympic "A" qualifying time of 45.55 seconds. If no other South African runs faster than 45.55 secs he can attempt to qualify for the "B" qualifying time of 45.95 secs. His current personal best is 46.56 secs, a Paralympic record.
"If I still make the qualifying time for those, the door will still be open in the Olympics," said Pistorius, who will compete against able-bodied athetes in Milan, Rome on July 2 and 11.
"A lot of the time this year we've devoted to the court case," Pistorius said. "Now when I get home my time can be dedicated to training. I am going to have to start getting my body in shape in order to run those qualifying times. I am hopeful there will be enough time but it is going to be very difficult."
Moss Mashishi, president of SASCOC, the South African Olympic body, said: "We're overjoyed. It's a great outcome for Oscar."
Pistorius was born without fibula bones and had his legs amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old.
He took up running seriously just a few months before the Athens Paralympics, breaking world records in the 100m and 200m.
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Tears of joy as Oscar gets the nod
Kevin McCallum
May 17 2008 at 11:08AM
Oscar Pistorius, the "fastest man on no legs", cried when he took a significant step for himself yesterday but a giant leap for all of the planet's disabled after winning the right to compete at the Beijing Olympics.
The 21-year double amputee athlete, dubbed the "Bladerunner", won his appeal at the Court for Arbitration in Sport (CAS) in Lausanne against an International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) ban that prevented him from competing against able-bodied athletes. The CAF ruled Pistorius gained no advantage from his carbon-fibre prosthetic blades.
"I was just blown away when I found out," said Pistorius. "When they told me I cried. It is a battle that has been going on for far too long. It's a great day for sport. I think this day is going to go down in history for the equality of disabled people."
Andy Scott, who has been the driving force behind the South African Paralympic team for years, said it was the best news all year.
"I think this day is going to go down in history for the equality of disabled people"
"It's unbelievable, simply unbelievable," said Scott. "I can tell you this: if you listen carefully you will hear the sound of prosthetics and crutches being banged on the ground all round the world in celebration.
"Oscar must be commended for his absolute tenacity in pursuing his case. This is a huge step for sport for the disabled not only in South Africa but globally. It takes us that bit closer to the world of able-bodied sport, a world that has been closed off to the disabled for so long.
"What he and Natalie du Toit have achieved is incredible. When Natalie qualified for the Olympics it was a huge moment for South Africa. Now we have the opportunity to have both Natalie and Oscar at the Olympics and the Paralympics. That will be a huge inspiration for all disabled people, whether they take part in sport or not. Once again South Africa is leading the way."
Pistorius's appeal was taken up on a pro bono basis by international law firm of Dewey & LeBoeuf, who compiled a team of experts led by Professor Hugh Herr of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to refute the IAAF claims.
"I have to thank all the people who have been so supportive of me throughout all of this," said Pistorius. "There have been so many awesome people back home and around the world who have sent me SMSes or e-mails. My lawyers have been great throughout and kept me confident that things would go our way.
"Oscar must be commended for his absolute tenacity in pursuing his case"
"I hope the findings silence many of the crazy theories that have been going around about my having an unfair advantage. All I wanted to do was to get a fair shake for myself and for all disabled athletes to be given the chance to compete fairly with able-bodied athletes. I have the opportunity once again to chase my dream of the Olympics, if not 2008, in 2012."
Now the paper war has been won the hard work starts. Should Pistorius, now perhaps the most recognisable disabled athlete in the world, qualify for the 400m in Beijing in August, he will join fellow amputee Natalie du Toit.
Du Toit became the first amputee ever to qualify and swim at the Olympics; Pistorius could be the second, but needs to run under the Olympic "A" qualifying time of 45.55 seconds. If no other South African runs faster than 45.55 secs he can attempt to qualify for the "B" qualifying time of 45.95 secs. His current personal best is 46.56 secs, a Paralympic record.
"If I still make the qualifying time for those, the door will still be open in the Olympics," said Pistorius, who will compete against able-bodied athetes in Milan, Rome on July 2 and 11.
"A lot of the time this year we've devoted to the court case," Pistorius said. "Now when I get home my time can be dedicated to training. I am going to have to start getting my body in shape in order to run those qualifying times. I am hopeful there will be enough time but it is going to be very difficult."
Moss Mashishi, president of SASCOC, the South African Olympic body, said: "We're overjoyed. It's a great outcome for Oscar."
Pistorius was born without fibula bones and had his legs amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old.
He took up running seriously just a few months before the Athens Paralympics, breaking world records in the 100m and 200m.