newjerseynewsroom.com

BY BOB HOLT

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

South African Olympic track and field athlete Oscar Pistorius, 25, was born without fibulas. He had both of his legs amputated below the knee before he was one year old.

As Pistorius attempted to run toward Olympic history, a debate continued on whether his artificial limbs give him an unfair advantage in the competition.

According to The Citizen, Pistorius was banned from competing against able-bodied athletes by the International Amateur Athletic Federation because his artificial limbs were 20 percent lighter than human limbs and Pistorius could move his legs faster than other athletes.

He uses J-shaped blades known as Cheetahs as prosthetics, which are designed for running and have no heel. When the Cheetah blade hits the ground, the curved part compresses with each stride and then springs back, according to The Daily.

Pistorius appealed the IAAF decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, SI.com reported. CAS testing showed that Pistorius fatigued at a normal rate for athletes. Pistorius was reinstated in 2008.

According to KansasCity.com, Pistorius has his legs adjusted specifically to how he runs. But they said any lighter weight advantage is canceled out by not having the energy force of calves and ankles, and the spring of legs.

Sunday night, the New York Times reported that Pistorius finished last in a semifinal of the Olympic 400 meters. He will be back on Thursday to compete on South Africa’s 4x400 relay team.

Pistorius is seen as an A-list celebrity in South Africa. He has owned white tigers and racehorses, and has reportedly been dating a Russian supermodel.