[mark s]

I know that's not his second name
In a sport where even the wrong headache pill or excessive caffiene can get you a 3yr ban,how does he get past the officials?
No doubt he has a talent but is he helped or hindered by his carbon feet?
I don't think there will be too much fuss over him,but if he started to win every race.he would soon be stopped.
Bolt looked unstopable in the 100mtr

[SA Chris]

Pistorius. After numerous tests and yesing and noing, I think the IOC decided they give him no advantage, which I'm not totally convinced by.

[moose]

He covers the second 200m of a race faster than the first - not done by any able bodied sprinter.  He reportedly also has around a 10% lower vO2max and a similarly lowered measured oxygen cost than able bodied sprinters (though there are issues about the validity of the comparison).  The energy losses from a blade compared to an ankle are calculated as 9% compared to 40%.  Then there's also the biomechanics of his movement - essentially he spends far less time in the air and has to overcome far less gravity and breaking forces than the able bodied - he's been described as "rolling" rathe rthan running. 

Basically, there's a hell of a lot of evidence to say that he gets a significant advantage from his blades. Enough anyway for a moratorium on his participation.  I can't help but feel that if he was anywhere near beating a world class field he wouldn't be allowed anywhere near an able-bodied race.  The races he has with the able bodied are basically personal training runs - he's being treated as a one-man exhibition - competing against himself, alongside the able bodied - but with his results effectively discounted. 

[Davo]

I thought that the ruling was now that his artificial legs don't actually give him an overall advantage when running the 400m? From what I have read the IAAF now accept that he suffers a large disadvantage in the start from being slow out of the blocks and getting up to speed. He is also slower on the bend. Again from what I have read the original tests only took into account the effects of the legs when he was at full speed and did not factor in the difficulty he has in getting to full speed.

Not sure about the argument that he is the only 400m runner in the world that does the 2nd 200 faster. I think that they all make a decision about how they pace the race. Certainly in an interview after the race just recently in Brussells where he came third Pistorius made it clear that his own pacing was a choice. To be honest though I don't really know and this is just from a vague interest in athletics.

As to his results being discounted. I really don't understand that. He is accepted as a valid competitor by the rules and I very much doubt the other athletes that he beat in Brussells were discounting his third place. To me personally the man is incredible, simply for the level of determination it must take to work hard enough to get good enough to be able to compete at the 400m with no feet! I can't actually imagine running with out the help of feet! The guy has done something that virtually no other disabled athlete (in my poor memory) has managed and that is to compete in the same event at a world class level with able bodied athletes.

My last thought is that: If the artificial limbs are so good, how come there aren't more double amputees beating able bodied athletes in running events? I personally think this is just the case of an outstanding athlete who has found a way to overcome a disadvantage.

Anyway those are just my thoughts, supported only by a general interest in athletics, a bit of reading and a few tv programs!

Dave

[robertostallioni]

ALL runners cover the last 200 faster than the first. Standing start, anyone?

My last thought is that: If the artificial limbs are so good, how come there aren't more double amputees beating able bodied athletes in running events?

Numbers. How may double lower leg amputee's have trained as full time athletes since childhood. Not many I'll wager.

I would expect him to do better at longer events (physiology notwithstanding) as the benefit of the non-fatiguing blades tells over time. maybe see him moving up to 800m.

[ashleyscott]

Going by the time that he did over the last 150mtrs, he has a major advantage due to less lactic build up in his legs. If he moved up to 800mtrs and trained for that, he would win hands down.

I hear that there is a double amputee that is going to enter the triple jump, and one doing the high jump. Springs anybody. :D
(thats was a joke. At the moment)

Personally I don't believe that he should be allowed to enter abled body comps. There was a case a good number of years ago, where an able body athlete wanted to enter a wheelchair race, and was told that it would not be fair as he may get out of the chair and run.

[robertostallioni]

There was a case a good number of years ago, where an able body athlete wanted to enter a wheelchair race, and was told that it would not be fair as he may get out of the chair and run.

Whilst screaming "Its a miracle!"?

[Serpico]

There was a case a good number of years ago, where an able body athlete wanted to enter a wheelchair race, and was told that it would not be fair as he may get out of the chair and run.

Whilst screaming "Its a miracle!"?

Or 'yeah I know'?