Voice 1
Hello, I’m Marina Santee.
Voice 2
And I’m Ruby Jones. Welcome to Spotlight. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, now matter where in the world they live.
Background voice
“On your marks!”
Voice 1
The man starting the race points his gun up towards the sky. Eight young men bend down. They carefully place their feet into the starting blocks. Their bodies are tense. “Get set - go!” The starter fires his gun. Immediately, the eight men push themselves out of the blocks and begin to run as fast as they can. A large crowd of people have gathered to watch the runners. They cheer and shout as the men power past them. And they see something unusual. The man is second place looks different from the other runners. He has no feet. Instead, he has long rounded pieces of metal. These metal pieces are attached to his knees. He crosses the finishing line just behind the winner. But the young man does not mind that he has lost the race. He believes that he has won something much more important. He has won people’s respect for him as a runner.
Voice 2
This young man’s name is Oscar Pistorius. Oscar is from South Africa. He was born with some bones missing from his legs. This meant that his legs could not develop in the right way. It also meant that Oscar would not be able to walk. He would have to spend his life sitting in a wheelchair. Oscar’s doctors said that they needed to remove the lower part of Oscar’s legs. This would help the other leg bones grow. After some time, Oscar’s parents agreed. Oscar was only one year old when the doctors operated on him.
Voice 1
However, removing the part of Oscar’s legs below the knee was a positive thing. It permitted the tops of his legs to develop normally. The time soon came for baby Oscar to learn how to walk. Doctors fitted him with two false legs. Soon, Oscar was able to move around as well as any other child with two complete legs. He would never know what having two whole, healthy legs felt like. But he did not feel limited in any way. In fact, the opposite was true! Oscar tried as many different sports as he could - the more active, the better!
Voice 2
Oscar’s desire was to play rugby. He dreamed of playing for one of the top South African teams. But when Oscar was fourteen [14] years old, that dream ended. Oscar badly injured his right knee in a rugby accident. His knee needed a lot of time to recover. So his doctors advised him to stop playing this dangerous sport. Instead, they suggested that he try a gentler sport, like running. Soon, Oscar found that he was a natural runner. After only two months, he ran in a one hundred [100] metres race. This race was especially for disabled runners like Oscar. The world record for this distance was twelve point two [12.2] seconds. Oscar ran the race in eleven point one [11.1] seconds. Everyone who saw him knew that he was someone special.
Voice 1
But how could Oscar run so fast on false legs? Well, engineers from Iceland were responsible for making Oscar’s running legs. They used carbon fibre. Carbon fibre is strong and light in weight. They shaped the carbon fibre into long, rounded pieces, called blades. The base of each blade has short metal spikes on it - just like normal running shoes. Oscar fits the top end of the blades onto his knees. And they help him to run like the wind!
Voice 2
Oscar usually competes in the T forty-four [44] class of disabled athletes. This is for those runners with both legs removed. Oscar holds the world record for the one hundred [100], two hundred [200] and four hundred [400] metres. In March 2007, Oscar ran in the South African National Championships. But this time, he competed against runners with whole, healthy legs. He came second. A lot of people were surprised - but not Oscar. He said,
Voice 3
“I do not see myself as disabled. I think it is the person that wants to win the hardest that gets it.”
Voice 2
And Oscar wants to win very much. He is training hard for the Paralympics. This event is like the Olympic Games. But people competing have some kind of physical or mental difficulty. The games will take place in China, in 2008. But Oscar is also aiming to compete in the Olympic Games, three weeks earlier!
Voice 1
But not everyone is happy about the idea of Oscar running in the Olympics. Some people believe that his special blades give him an unfair advantage. They say that the blades make him taller than he would be with normal legs. Other people say that the blades are too long. They give him extra energy in his movement. The world running authority is the IAAF. And it is considering a new rule. It would ban runners from using any technical devices, like Oscar’s blades. The IAAF argues that such technology changes the nature of sporting events too much. It would no longer be one person running as fast as they could against another person. But Oscar firmly disagrees with the IAAF.
Voice 3
“There has never been a disabled athlete running in the Olympics. There is a fear of change.”
Voice 2
Tanni Grey-Thompson, a famous wheel-chair athlete, agrees with Oscar. She says:
Voice 4
“When Oscar was running less quickly, everyone was happy. But as soon as he started getting fast times, that was it. People will say that Oscar can choose how big and long his blades will be. So maybe that gives him an unfair advantage. But I think it is probably more of a disadvantage to be running with two lower limbs missing.”
Voice 2
And Oscar believes that he owes his success to himself, not to the blades.
Voice 3
“I train harder than any of the other men do. I eat better. I sleep better. I rest better. And overall, I am more hard-working.”
Voice 1
So, will we see Oscar run at the Olympics? Time will tell. But there is no question about his amazing running ability. And Oscar is a great example to other people with the same condition as him. He says:
Voice 3
“You know, it is no disability at the end of the day. It can work to your advantage. You must not think of it as a disability. Just continue through life as normal.”
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