LONDON (AP) — Oscar Pistorius of South Africa became the first amputee to compete on the track at an Olympics, finishing second in his 400-meter heat Saturday to advance to the next round.
Pistorius, a double-amputee who runs on carbon-fiber blades, circled the oval in 45.44 seconds – good enough for second place in his heat and a berth in the semifinals Sunday night.
Pistorius waged a long fight to run in the Olympics against able-bodied opponents and finally got that chance on a sunny morning in front of a sellout crowd at Olympic Stadium.
Pistorius was born without fibulas and his legs were amputated below the knee before he was a year old.
