posted Jul 3, 2008

All the top disabled athletes without feet use blades, and they've been around for some time. There used to be controversy about the sprinters using really long ones to make themselves 6 foot 6 tall giving them a really long stride. I've seen a few distance runners using them in road races as well, in fact I got overtaken by a guy using two of them about 2 miles into the London Marathon this year. I passed him about 22 miles, but I believe he beat 3:30:00 which is quite something.

As for the use of blades and the advantages of less weight, lets not forget that he also has less muscle as he has no calves or feet. It's all swings and roundabouts. Maybe the blades do return fractionally more energy than feet and calves do, but equally they can't actually generate power like the muscles in the calf and foot can for an able-bodied athlete. And lets not forget that he's also losing out on modern shoe technology which can make quite a difference. It's not like modern running shoes don't contain similar technology - the road shoes I run in have something called a planta facia bridge which is basically a carbon fibre plate that absorbs and returns energy, not unlike a blade. Nobody has suggested to me they're illegal.

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posted Jul 3, 2008

I too think that he (Pistorious) can and does inspire, but I don't think he should run with able bodied athletes.
Saying that his prosthetic limbs don't give an advantage is a moot point - An advantage in comparison to whom? If you compare the power or speed generated by a 43 second 400m runner and a 49 second 400m runner there will be a massive difference - At what range do you judge his advantage or lack thereof?
My greatest issue however, remains the fact that the lower halves of his legs are incapable of fatigue. Their efficiency would not diminish over the course of a race - unlike every other competitor.

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posted Jul 3, 2008

Lever arms: the carbon fibre foot plate in your shoe does next to nothing, in fact it barely deflects at all and its effects are minimal. The one in the prosthetic foot however extends all the way up to the socket.

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posted Jul 4, 2008

Personally i believe that the paralympics was created so that people who were not as fortunate as others could still compete in the olympics. the olympics is for able bodied competitors and the paralympics is for people with disabilities. i have no problem with pistorious running against able bodied athletes but surely this should be done in another event, one which could be made for everyone to compete. i just feel like there are two seperate events for a reason. i am not being discrimatory at all and i really respect what he has come through and achieved. i know this is a touchy subject but it is my opinion

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posted Jul 4, 2008

No, I don't think Pistorius should be allowed in but I doubt he will qualify anyway.

Nathalie du Toit, the one legged swimmer, on the other hand, has already qualified in her event without prostethics and is a real inspiration.

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posted Jul 7, 2008

Maybe the blades do return fractionally more energy than feet and calves do, but equally they can't actually generate power like the muscles in the calf and foot can for an able-bodied athlete.
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Soreshins, you are a typical jogger who knows nothing about the subject being discussed, : "Oh yes the carbon technology is lighter blah blah, but he doesn't have any calf muscles,, blah blah blah..

That's the point. There is no doubt that he is on great path, but he should not be at the Olympics. I am even more certain that he is on less of a level playing ground when he is in the disabled Olympics.

That's where you should see the real complaining. However, Political correctness will keep this conversation in a narrow plain. That of his inspiration. Which is not the true issue.

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posted Jul 8, 2008

Greentrousers:

Sore Shins was making a point that he believes. It is the essence of debate, and your childish insults are just that, childish!

If you cannot stick to adult conversation, I believe you should find somewhere else to vent your frustrations.

As for the debate: OP is an inspiration to all able-bodied and disabled athletes, but until he has competed regularly against world-class athletes can it be determined if there is an unfair advantage. Only if it is proven that there is no performance gain from the blades, and the other athletes agree, should he be allowed to compete in the highest events: ie. the Olympics and World Championships.

W.

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posted Jul 8, 2008

naff off wheezy, ill advised debate without knowledge is a whizzing match. Of which you have entered. So drink heartily.

Be inspired all you wish.

It has already been determined that his blades give advantage. That was overturned by the sobbers in the audience like you, who get inspired every 4 years in August. The rest of us follow the sport 24 / 7.

My comment to sore shins stands. He never ran 400 m at an international level. He does not know the event. I did and do.

I am not at all frustrated. I happen to love watching this guy run. Its just that the blades are built to make him run fast, and they provide advantages that able bodied athletes do not have. You may find that there is another thread about him going to 800 m, as the advantage there is even more dramatic. However, Oscar may not be the one to gain full advantage.

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posted Jul 9, 2008

I'm no scientist, so what do I know? But it certainly sounds an unfair advantage to me.

He seems to be saying that it takes him a while to get his momentum going, hence his slow first 200m. But then he should never be able to catch the leaders on the second half of the race. So he must be a no-hoper before he even starts - unless of course there is an advantage - so why even bother to enter the able bodied Olympics.

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posted Jul 10, 2008

I think he is an inspiration. But more so is his compratiot the swimmer Natalie DuToit who is looking to take part in the swimming without any aids despite losing a leg in an accident.

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