JOHANNESBURG -- South African Paralympian Oscar Pistorius said Wednesday that he does not believe he has a chance of qualifying to run with able-bodied athletes in the 400m at the Beijing Olympics.
Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius catches his breath after competing in the 400 meters of the Dutch Open Paralympics event in Emmeloord, Netherlands, in this June 1, 2008 file photo. [Agencies] |
"The competitions in which I'm now participating are only good for keeping me fit," said the South African, who is due to take part in an international paralympic championship in the German capital this weekend.
"Qualifying for Beijing doesn't seem realistic at the moment but I'll try," added Pistorius, whose best time over 400 meters is 46.34, while Olympic qualification is set at 45.55.
Pistorius, who had both legs amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old, last month saw a ban on him competing with able-bodied athletes imposed by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The 21-year-old last month won a 200m paralympic meeting in the Dutch city of Emmeloord using his specially-adapted carbon fibre blades in 22.04 sec.
He had been barred from all competitions involving able-bodied athletes because of claims that the artificial legs he uses give him an unfair advantage.
