A double amputee who runs with prothetic legs, Oscar Pistorius is a sprinter and world record holder in the Paralympic 100, 200, and 400 meter events. As a former Olympic contender, his biggest hurdles were legal: to convince the Court of Arbitration for Sports to reverse a decision by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) that no athlete could compete with the aid of a "technical device." He won the appeal. Though he eventually fell 0.70 seconds short of qualifying for the South African Olympic team, he set a new standard that opened doors for aspiring disabled athletes everywhere: to be judged by his athletic ability and not his disability.
"My focus throughout this appeal has been to ensure that disabled athletes be given the chance to compete and compete fairly with able-bodied athletes. I look forward to continuing my quest to qualify for the Olympics." (Source)
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