Sout Africa glows as Pistorius makes Olympic history
South Africans glowed with pride on Saturday as they watched ‘Blade Runner’ Oscar Pistorius become the first double amputee to compete in the Olympics.
With his carbon fibre prosthetic ‘blades’ flashing in the sun, Pistorius powered through his 400 metres heat in London to finish second and qualify for the semi-finals.
“We are proud of him, especially being the first time a double amputee competes with able-bodied athletes,” said Sifiso Magagula, 29, sipping a cup of coffee at a restaurant in Braamfontein in downtown Johannesburg.
“And for him to qualify second in a sport dominated by Americans and Jamaicans… we are so proud of him,” said Magagula, flanked by his wife.
While the race did not pull big crowds at a huge television screen mounted between a hotel and a coffee shop on a sunny winter morning, those present coould not hide their excitement.
“It’s a monumental time for a disabled man to compete in able-bodied athletics,” said Jason Handle.
One fan even tried to draw parallels with Nelson Mandela’s historic release from prison in 1990. The anti-apartheid icon went on to become South Africa’s first black president four years later.
“This was an awesome experience watching Oscar, it’s a historic moment, and I say it’s almost like watching Mandela walk out of jail after 27 years, for a Paralympic athlete to be part of the actual Olympics … awesome!” screamed 41-year-old Mary, one of the dozen enthusiasts who watched him run.
Pistorius, who had both legs amputated below the knee before he was aged one, because of a congenital condition, runs on carbon fibre blades.
He is also due to run in the 4x400m relay at the Games.
Ivan Lukhele, a quantity surveyor, said initially he had harboured doubts that Pistorius would make it past the first round.
“At first I didn’t give him any chance. Since now he has qualified I am so excited. It’s amazing, you know there are many lessons that we can learn from him.
“It shows that anything is possible as long as you put your mind and energy to it,” said Lukhele.
Pistorius competed in the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Paralympics.
He was only given the green light to make his debut in the Olympics following studies that found his prosthetics afforded him no advantage over his able-bodied rivals.
He clocked 45.44sec in his first-round run and is hoping to smash his personal best of 45.07sec and dip below the 45-second barrier, the true mark of world-class 400m running.
© AFP 2013The Crowd Says (9) | Page 1 of Comments
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August 5th 2012 @ 2:42am
Johnno said | August 5th 2012 @ 2:42am | Report comment
-South Africa are a much bigger country than us 50 million double our size plus 3 mill. And they do have quote a lot of money to so it is no surprise they are beating us now. They have been advancing since political change.
-They won in 1995, there cricketers at the top of the tree now, as is there rugby team. They are a natural sporty nation, hosted asoccer world cup. I am amazed at all this who ha and surprise that south africa is doing well at the olympics. they are a pretty big nation. They with the ab’s were on top of world rugby before they were banned with the political stuff.
-They won the rugby world cup in 2007 and probably could of won in 2011 but for a bad refereeing day by bryce lawrence in the quarters vs the old aussies. So south africa’s rise at the olympics hasn’t surpsied me in the slightest. Many of dutch origin naturally tall group of people and athletic, and dutch team is just about the best with the americans in swimming , and south african swimmers are of dutch heritage,
August 5th 2012 @ 3:42am
Morgan said | August 5th 2012 @ 3:42am | Report comment
Why is your medal tally updated for China but not the United States?
August 5th 2012 @ 1:02pm
The Bush said | August 5th 2012 @ 1:02pm | Report comment
I remember discussing and researching his appeal to be allowed to compete against able bodied athletes when I was at University. From memory his “blades” provided an advantage at one point, but a disadvantage at other points (to do with take off versus actual running, accelerating etc). Obviously the final ruling was that no advantage was afforded.
Pretty amazing stuff and obviously a truly comendable man.
August 5th 2012 @ 2:56pm
Jocelyn McLennan said | August 5th 2012 @ 2:56pm | Report comment
As long as he stays in amongst the pack everyone will pat him on the back and so how nice and good on you…soon as he makes finals and/or a medal the whole thing of his legitamcy will explode…it is fine for now but what of the technology for prosethics in the future
August 5th 2012 @ 5:29pm
SandBox said | August 5th 2012 @ 5:29pm | Report comment
very good point JM
August 5th 2012 @ 7:13pm
Jocelyn McLennan said | August 5th 2012 @ 7:13pm | Report comment
Sand box read my old article on him from about 3-4 weeks ago when he was named in the team…I analyse the whole thing in quite some depth…while I think he has got guts and determination that a few so-so australians could have used in the last week..technology has come a long way since Douglas Badar was given legs made of tin after WWI…it is bit like a pain killer versus a steroid…one is just meant to bring you back to your “normal’ level of performance where the other gives you a clear advantage…ironic that Lashawn Merritt retired from his heat last night as he has been on opponent of the “fairness” of competing against Pistorius…this is a bit rich coming from Merritt since he served a 2 year doping ban….maybe those without sin should be casting the stones….
August 5th 2012 @ 11:40pm
SandBox said | August 5th 2012 @ 11:40pm | Report comment
believe athletes didn’t like running against Zola Budd for, in some ways, similar reasons.
Would be a shame to see a collision, but 400m they stay in their lanes at least. So will be different to Budd in the 1500-3000m where they need to jockey for position in same lane
An athlete in roller blades would have a clear advantage, over someone running. So there must be a point where even disabled you get an advantage over anyone else, just from technology.
I think it’s good for para-athletes that technology has advanced to this point. As you mentioned Bader, there was no such debate until recently
August 6th 2012 @ 11:51am
Jocelyn McLennan said | August 6th 2012 @ 11:51am | Report comment
I think now is the time to make the call……as it maybe the technology has given him back waht nature took away…BUT the technology is only going to get more advanced and then we will be getting and advantaged…my call is that somehow if they measure the compression and thrust on the track at the contact point of the worlds number on 400 metre runner or who wins the 400metres in London and then somehow ensure that the thrust that Oscar has on his blades does not exceed that perhaps…it is such a tough call…yes it is his unsteadiness while standing still on the blades that have the relay runners a bit concerned and why the IAAF have said that it is best he runs the first leg of the relay so as to miss the push and shove of the change over zone…I also think that that is a bit unfair as the changeover is a dog fight anyway with everyeon unsteady and puching and shoving for changover position…
August 6th 2012 @ 10:52pm
superba said | August 6th 2012 @ 10:52pm | Report comment
…. but as I recall Bader managed to escape without his “legs” after the Germans took them away from him as a means of preventing this !!!!