Oscar Pistorius: Blade Runner Finishes Last in 400-Meter Semifinal
South African runner Oscar Pistorius failed to make the 400-meter dash final these 2012 Olympics after finishing last in his semifinal heat with a time of 46.54 seconds.
Pistorius, a double amputee, became the first Paralympian to ever compete in the able bodied Olympic Games when he ran the opening leg of the 400 on Saturday.
He ran well, finishing second in his preliminary heat with a time of 45.44 seconds.
However, the man known as the "Blade Runner" couldn't continue on his magical run on Sunday evening. He had the second worst time out of the 24 semifinalists and just never seemed to find his stride in the heat.
Still, Pistorius has undoubtedly been an inspiration to many with his appearance and performance in London. And considering the lifelong struggles he had to make to even make it to these Games, they've been a success.
The 25-year-old Pistorius had both of his legs amputated when he was just 11 months old, but he's never given up. He worked for years and finally accomplished his goal of making it to the able-bodied Olympics by finishing second in the African Championships and convincing South African officials he was a worthy entrant for the country.
Still, even an incredible story like Pistorius’ has been marred by controversy. Many believe that his prosthetic legs give him an unfair advantage over the other competitors. However, the IOC ultimately ruled in his favor, stating that the prosthetic blades give him no significant advantage.
That ruling alone allowed him to inspire millions at the Olympics this summer. He may not have won, but just by competing in these Games, he's made history.
