Johannesburg: Oscar Pistorius will become the first double amputee to compete at the Olympics after being included on Wednesday in the South African 4×400 metre relay team for the 2012 London Games, an official said.
The 25-year-old’s selection comes five days after conceding defeat in a battle to run in the 400m at the Games as he finished 0.22 seconds outside the qualifying mark of 45.30 seconds at the African championships in Benin.
“Today is really on of the happiest days of my life! Will be in (at)London2012 for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games!” the multiple Paralympic champion said on Twitter. “Thank you to everyone that has made me the athlete I am! God, family and friends, my competitors and supporters! You have all had a hand!”
Pistorius did clock 45.20 at a meet in Pretoria last March, but could not repeat the feat at an international meet, a requirement for the South African team.
Called the ‘Blade Runner’ and ‘The Fastest Man on no legs’, Pistorius was part of the South African 4x400m relay squad that came second at the 2011 world championships in South Korea.
There had been fears that South Africa would not send a relay team at all to London as the team was hit by poor form and injuries.
Pistorius runs with carbon-fibre artificial ‘blades’ and was cleared to compete at top level in 2008 when the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned an IAAF ruling that his blades gave him an unfair advantage.
The South African had both legs amputated below the knee before his first birthday because of a congenital condition that meant he was born without lower leg bones.
Having failed to qualify for the 400m at the 2008 Beijing Olympics he went on to compete at the 2011 world championships in South Korea, where he made the 400m semi-final and won a silver in the 4x400m relay.
However, his omission from the relay team for the final left him venting his anger at South African officials.
Pistorius, a three-event defending champion, will also compete at the Paralympic Games in London in four events.
“I am extremely excited about the Paralympic Games in London and a big focus for me will be defending my three titles as well as being part of the South African team competing for a world record in the 4x100m relay at the Paralympics,” Pistorius said. (AFP)