Oscar Pistorius of South Africa competes in the Men's 400m Semi Final on Day 9 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 5, 2012 in London.
The world-record holder in the 100m, 200m and 400m races, Oscar Pistorius is the world’s most famous Paralympian. Born without calve muscles, he had both of his legs amputated when he was 11 months old. As a teenager the 25-year old played rugby, and only turned to running in 2004 as part of therapy to mend an injured knee. Within months Pistorius, then 17, had bagged two medals at the 2004 Paralympics: a bronze in the 100m and a gold in the 200m. His time in the 100m dash was only 1.31 seconds behind the winner of the Olympic 100m race. Although he lost the 100m final to Singleton at the 2011 Paralympic World Championships, Pistorius will be riding high from the recent Summer Games. At London 2012 the “Blade Runner” became the first double leg amputee to compete in the Olympic Games. He made the semi-finals of the 400m, and participated in the final of the 4 x 400m relay.