Oscar Pistorius: The bullet in the chamber
(CNN) — He’s “the fastest man on no legs,” or — as his sponsor’s high-profile advertising campaign put it — “the bullet in the chamber.”
He is Oscar Pistorius, the “Blade Runner” who is changing the world’s perception of what is acceptable on an athletics track.
Born without a fibula bone in each leg, the South African is the first double amputee to run at the world championships, and next year he will be the first to race at the Olympics.
“I think next year’s going to be quite a big year, as far as demand on my performances,” the 24-year-old told CNN.
“I feel that the condition I’m in and the knowledge I’ve gained probably will definitely help me in achieving those times in the first half of next season. So I know next year is going to be a big year.”
Pistorius qualified for the 400 meters with a time of 45.07 seconds in Italy in July, which is less than two seconds slower than Michael Johnson’s 1999 world record and would have given him fifth place in the final of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.