Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius, whose success has been one of the stories of the Daegu World Championships, has been dropped from the South African team for the final of the 4x400m relay.
DOUBLE-AMPUTEE RUNNER Oscar Pistorius was left off South Africa’s team for the 4x400m relay final Friday, a day after helping the squad qualify at the World Championships.
“Haven’t Been included in the Final for the SA Mens 4x400m. Pretty Guttered,” Pistorius wrote in a Twitter message.
Instead of Pistorius, the South African team decided to go with L.J. van Zyl, who won the bronze medal in the 400 hurdles.
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After making a historic breakthrough for Paralympic athletes by reaching the semifinals of the 400 early this week, the “Blade Runner” ran a strong opening leg on the tough inside lane Thursday to help South Africa to a third-place finish in its heat and a South African record.
Team manager Magda Botha said in a statement the decision was based on “factual information and knowledge” after a meeting with the athletes early Friday.
The 24-year-old Pistorius, who had his legs amputated when he was a baby, can still get a medal if South Africa finishes in the top three because he ran in the heats.
The IAAF had said that Pistorius could only run the lead-off leg of the relay because it is completed with teams still running in lanes. There were fears that the his blades could be a danger if he had to run in a bunch.
Pistorius traditionally has a slow start over the first 100 meters before picking up more speed and it might have been a reason to leave him off the team. It still was an unexpected decision since he trails only Van Zyl in the South African season’s standings, a fact the sprinter himself was keen to emphasise on Twitter.
The United States and Jamaica led qualifying, just ahead of South Africa, highlighting that Pistorius still had a chance to collect a medal.
After failing to reach the final in the individual 400m, he had good hopes to run the relay final Friday.
Pistorius dropped for 4x400m final
DOUBLE-AMPUTEE RUNNER Oscar Pistorius was left off South Africa’s team for the 4x400m relay final Friday, a day after helping the squad qualify at the World Championships.
“Haven’t Been included in the Final for the SA Mens 4x400m. Pretty Guttered,” Pistorius wrote in a Twitter message.
Instead of Pistorius, the South African team decided to go with L.J. van Zyl, who won the bronze medal in the 400 hurdles.
After making a historic breakthrough for Paralympic athletes by reaching the semifinals of the 400 early this week, the “Blade Runner” ran a strong opening leg on the tough inside lane Thursday to help South Africa to a third-place finish in its heat and a South African record.
Team manager Magda Botha said in a statement the decision was based on “factual information and knowledge” after a meeting with the athletes early Friday.
The 24-year-old Pistorius, who had his legs amputated when he was a baby, can still get a medal if South Africa finishes in the top three because he ran in the heats.
The IAAF had said that Pistorius could only run the lead-off leg of the relay because it is completed with teams still running in lanes. There were fears that the his blades could be a danger if he had to run in a bunch.
Pistorius traditionally has a slow start over the first 100 meters before picking up more speed and it might have been a reason to leave him off the team. It still was an unexpected decision since he trails only Van Zyl in the South African season’s standings, a fact the sprinter himself was keen to emphasise on Twitter.
The United States and Jamaica led qualifying, just ahead of South Africa, highlighting that Pistorius still had a chance to collect a medal.
After failing to reach the final in the individual 400m, he had good hopes to run the relay final Friday.
– Additional reporting from the Associated Press
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2011 Athletics World Championships 4x400m relay Athletics Athletics World Championships L.J. van Zyl Oscar Pistorius South Africa Unpopular Decision