Amputee in main Olympic races

The world's fastest double amputee could be running in able bodied athletics in next year's Beijing Olympics.After years of gruelling training 21-year-old Oscar Pistorius from South Africa could realise his dream of competing in the main running competitions in 2008's Olympics, with the help of carbon fibre blades.The Sports Governing Body originally banned him from able bodied running competitions because it feared his prosthetic legs gave him an unfair advantage.But now the SGB may let him run in these contests if its tests on his artificial legs can prove they do not give him more height, a longer stride and a spring loaded step compared with competitors with human legs.A birth defect meant that Oscar had his legs amputed below the knee before his first birthday and has never walked on his own two feet.This year Oscar has already racked up times that would have won him the women's gold in the 100 metres, 200 metres and 400 metres races at the last Olympics.Oscar said: "Now I can start playing with the big boys. I'd like to be in the final of the Olympic games one day."© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.

ITN | June 21, 2007

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