Oly ‘Blade Runner’ enters 4×400 final

By: Pat Graham Posted: 1:00 AM CDT Friday, Aug. 10, 2012

LONDON -- Double-amputee Oscar Pistorius and his South African teammates are moving on to the 4x400-metre relay final at the Olympics without even finishing their heat.

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LONDON -- Double-amputee Oscar Pistorius and his South African teammates are moving on to the 4x400-metre relay final at the Olympics without even finishing their heat.

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LONDON — Double-amputee Oscar Pistorius and his South African teammates are moving on to the 4×400-metre relay final at the Olympics without even finishing their heat.

The man known as Blade Runner because of his carbon-fibre prosthetics will get a chance to run for an Olympic medal after officials accepted South Africa’s protest over a collision and awarded an extra spot in today’s final. Pistorius already is the first amputee to compete on a Summer Games track.

In the opening round Thursday, a Kenyan runner knocked into South Africa’s Ofentse Mogawane as sped around the final bend in the second leg of the race. Mogawane fell and clutched at his left shoulder as the baton rolled away.

CP
Matt Dunham / the associated press
South Africa�s Oscar Pistorius reacts after a teammate was knocked out of a men�s 4x400-metre relay heat Thursday. — CP Matt Dunham / the associated press South Africa�s Oscar Pistorius reacts after a teammate was knocked out of a men�s 4x400-metre relay heat Thursday.

Set to run next in the relay, Pistorius stared at the scene in disbelief. He put his hands on his head and began walking off the track, figuring his time in London was done.

In the span of two hours, after word of the successful appeal, Pistorius went from crestfallen to celebrating. On Twitter, he wrote: “IT’S ON!! We in the FINAL.”

“Will be up on the 3rd leg tomorrow for the Final! Really can’t wait!” Pistorius tweeted, adding “Emotional roller coaster!”

Pistorius did not get a chance to run in the final when South Africa earned a silver medal in the 4×400 relay at last year’s world championships — although he did earn a medal by virtue of having run in a preliminary heat.