Person in News: Oscar Pistorius

 Oscar Pistorius named for Olympics in 4×400 race, is the first ‘disabled athlete’ to qualify for an able bodied event in the 2012 London Olympics in 400 metres race.

• Full name: Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius
• Pistorius named South Africa’s 4×400 relay team for the London Olympics.
• Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius is a double amputee (i.e. doesn’t have his both limbs) South African sprint runner.
• Famous as the "Blade Runner" and "The Fastest man on no legs".
• He is the world record holder in the 100, 200 and 400 metres (sport class T44) events and runs with the aid of Cheetah Flex-Foot carbon fibre transtibial artificial limbs by Ossur.
• Pistorius is set to become the first amputee track athlete ever to compete at the games.
• The 25-year-old South African runs on carbon fiber blades.
• Pistorius made history in 2011 by qualifying for the world championships, where he won silver in the 4×400. The decision to leave him out of the final race caused controversy.
• Pistorius won medals at the Beijing and Athens Paralympics.

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2012