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Oscar 'is an inspiration'
17/05/2008 08:07 - (SA)
Pretoria - Oscar Pistorius's
family and friends on Friday described the pioneering South
African paralympic athlete as a special human being without airs
and graces or any complex over his disability.
Pistorius, who had both legs amputated below the knee when
he was 11 months old due to a congenital disorder, was cleared
on Friday by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to use his
prosthetic carbon-fibre limbs to compete in able-bodied events.
He can now attempt to qualify for this year's Beijing
Olympics although his coach believes a more realistic target for
the 21-year-old may be the 2009 world championships.
The International Association of Athletics Federations
(IAAF) had banned Pretorius in January, ruling that the
prosthetics gave him an advantage over able-bodied athletes.
Andy Scott, a pioneering South African paralympian now
involved in corporate sponsorship of major sports, said:
"Oscar's massive accomplishments are an inspiration for all
disabled people. But he is also one of the more grounded, humble
21-year-old superstars I've met.
"He has handled all the attention after his paralympic world
records and all the pressures of this year really well.".
Oscar's father, Henke Pistorius, was celebrating his son's
successful appeal in a Pretoria restaurant on Friday and said
the loss of his lower legs was never a disability in their eyes.
"We don't speak in our family about Oscar being disabled,
we've never treated him that way and so he's never had that to
fall back on.
"I've been blessed with three children who are exactly the
same, except Oscar is differently-abled and just quicker than
the other two," Henke told Reuters on Friday.
Steely determination
He said Oscar had always shown a steely determination to
reach the top.
"When Oscar decides he will do something, then he really
applies his mind to it and his dedication means he can do it as
good, if not better than, anyone else.
"He has got where he is because he does not listen to what
other people say he can or cannot do."
Pistorius, who also races motorbikes in his spare time, has
been an inspiration in the disabled community with his hands-on
approach.
"Oscar has always been a helpful lad and he has been into
Mozambique two or three times to hand out and help fit 60 to 80
pairs of artificial legs he organised from his sponsors, Ossur,"
Henke said.
Educated at the Pretoria Boys' High School, Pistorius's
school friend speak of a "lovely guy who would do anything for
his friends". He also played rugby, tennis and water polo.
"From the time I first held Oscar in my arms when he was
born and I cut the umbilical cord I could see there was
something different about his feet," said Henke.
"But I never considered it a defect and feel the same way
now as I did in those first few split seconds.
"His special circumstances are an opportunity."
Pretorius's coach Ampie Louw said they would prepare for the
2009 world athletics championships in Berlin, although he can
now also try to qualify for this year's Beijing Olympics.
"We will in any case... at least prepare him for the world
championships in two years' time for the final," said Louw,
noting that Pretorius was "a very over the moon guy now".
He added: "... me and Oscar are the same. I hate losing and
I will go for gold whatever it means and that's the way he is
and if he's down in the blocks he always goes for the win and
that is what I like about him."
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