The Games in 2008 Beijing could be the first Olympics where an athlete with prosthetic limbs could be competing in track and field events. Oscar Pistorius was born without fibulas and runs with blades as prosthetic replacements for his lower legs (below the knee…photo above) and is seeking clearance to compete in the Games….but, the stink is that the blades may actually give Pistorius an unfair advantage. This according to a German professor that did tests on the limbs….
“He has considerable advantages over athletes without prosthetic limbs who were tested by us,” Prof. Gert-Peter Brueggemann told Die Welt newspaper in an article posted online Thursday. “It was more than just a few percentage points. I did not expect it to be so clear.”
To reach the 2008 Olympics, Pistorius would have to run the 400 in 45.95 seconds before the July 2008 qualifying deadline. His personal best is 46.56.
The 21-year-old Pistorius — nicknamed the “Blade Runner” — competed in the 400 at two international-level able-bodied meets in 2007. He finished second in a “B” race in 46.90 seconds at the Golden League meet in Rome on July 13 and, two days later, was disqualified for running out of his lane in Sheffield, England. [link]
When I first heard of “Blade Runner at the Olympics”, I guess I was confused. I was thinking the Chinese were going unvail new advancements in genetic engineering….and introduce replicants like the beautiful Daryl Hannah in the movie Blade Runner….that visitors to Beijing could have their way with these replicants….and that houses of ill repute would be made available…..but…silly me, my imagination went a bit haywire. I digress….have a nice day.
