Pretty inspiring guy to be able to compete at such a high level despite his handicap:

“Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius failed to make the final of the men’s 400 m in Daegu on Monday but will still be remembered for taking on able-bodied athletes at the Athletics World Championships on his two carbon-fiber prostheses.

The South African sprinter, who had both his legs amputated below the knees when he was 11 months old due to a crippling congenital disease, was hoping to make another piece of history at Daegu Stadium, but advancing to Tuesday’s final was always a long shot at best.

Just before the semifinal, Pistorius was checking the starting blocks in lane seven and warming up by running stretches of 40 to 50 meters. After the starting gun sounded he stayed in the hunt for the first 200 m before dropping back to finish last of the group in a time of 46.19 seconds, over one second behind his personal best.

The crowd, clearly moved by his story, showed their admiration with a huge round of applause as he bowed out of the competition. Pistorius’ story of overcoming his innate disability, and beating the IAAF by persuading the Court of Arbitration for Sport to overturn its ban on him running against able-bodied athletes, has won him many fans.  [Chosun Ilbo]