The Fastest Man On No Legs

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Photo credit: CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

20-year old Oscar Pistorius is known by many names - some call him "The Fastest Man on no Legs" others "Blade Runner" - we call him AMAZING!

Oscar was born without a fibula - the long thin bone that anchors the calf muscle and forms the outside of the ankle - in both his legs. When he was just 11 months old, his parents had to make a decision of either confining Oscar to a wheelchair, or amputate (cut off) both his lower legs and give him artificial legs. They chose the latter and six months later Oscar was walking on his first pair of artificial legs made of fiberglass.

Perhaps this is why Oscar has never thought of himself as "disabled" - at school he played rugby, water polo and tennis. He even tried wrestling. In 2004, after suffering from a serious rugby injury, he was introduced to running.

He fell in love with it and in just three years has won many gold medals in the Paralympic Games (for athletes with disabilities) and currently holds the world record for 100m, 200m and 400m.

The only thing that bothers Oscar is that people think of him as "disabled", because he believes he is not. His biggest wish is to compete in the normal Olympic Games. Recently however, the Olympic Committee rejected his application, because they thought his "running" legs do not get as tired as "real" legs and that he may have an unfair advantage over the other runners.

While this is a bummer, Oscar says he will try again at the next Olympics, but meanwhile we believe that nothing can hold back this amazing man whose motto in life is:

"You're not disabled by the disabilities you have, you are able by the abilities you have."

Sources: Time.com, sportsillustrated.cnn.com

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163 Comments
  • tomboy
    tomboyover 12 years
    I wanna run like that!!!
    • erinlove59
      erinlove59over 12 years
      follow me if you feel bad
    • erinlove59
      erinlove59over 12 years
      this man really inspires me because i an disabled too. i just wish i could run........................... btw i have legs. i've also had a surgery on both of my feet and i'm pribably going to have a steel rod put in my back to straighten out my spine. ps i'm 9 years old.
      • raerae1234
        raerae1234over 12 years
        I feel so sorry 4 u and gracie9.And erinlove59 is 1 year older than me im about 2 turn 9,in August
        • gracie9
          gracie9over 12 years
          I feel bad I had to have surgery on my ankle but now it is not copletely fine but it's much much better
      • kailynover 12 years
        that was my avater
        • kailynover 12 years
          that is AWESOME
          • inges
            ingesover 12 years
            He is amazing and a big inspiration to a lot of people!
            • fluffyman
              fluffymanalmost 13 years
              that is so sad that he lost his legs but its so awesome how he can run so fast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
              • swirlylollypops
                swirlylollypopsalmost 13 years
                ya! we call him "amazing"!
                • Amandaalmost 13 years
                  That is sad that they had to cut off his legs when he was little but its happy that he loves running and he got to world records!
                  • evanalmost 13 years
                    wow that's so cool that he has no legs and yet hes beaten three world records!

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