OSCAR LEONARD CARL PISTORIUSBorn 22 November 1986, the South African sprint runner is Known as the "Blade Runner" and "the fastest man on no legs." Pistorius, who has a double amputation, is the world record holder in the 100,200 and 400 metres (sport class T44) events and runs with the aid of Cheetah Flex-Foot carbon fibre transtibial artificial limbs by Ossur. In 2007 Pistorius took part in his first international competitions for able-bodied athletes. However, his artificial lower legs, while enabling him to compete, have generated claims that he has an unfair advantage over able-bodied runners. The same year, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) amended its competition rules to ban the use of "any technical device that incorporates springs, wheels or any other element that provides a user with an advantage over another athlete not using such a device." It claimed that the amendment was not specifically aimed at Pistorius. After monitoring his track performances and carrying out tests, scientists took the view that Pistorius enjoyed considerable advantages over athletes without prosthetic limbs. On the strength of these findings, on 14 January 2008 the IAAF ruled him ineligible for competitions conducted under its rules, including the 2008 Summer Olympics. This decision was reversed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on 16 May 2008, the Court ruling overall there was no evidence that Pistorius had any net advantage over able-bodied athletes.Although eligible to compete in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, Pistorius did not qualify for the South African team. Despite achieving third place and a personal best time of 46.25 seconds in the 400 metres in Lucerne, Switzerland, on 16 July 2008, this was short of the Olympic qualification time of 45.55 seconds. He was also not selected by the South African Olympic Committee for the 4 x 400metres relay team as there were four other runners who had achieved better times. At the 2008 Summer Paralympics, he took the gold medals in the 100,200 and 400 metres (T44) sprints.With his 400 m time of 45.07 on July 19, 2011, he achieved the "A" qualifying standard for the 2011 World Championships and 2012 Olympics. He participated in the 400m sprint and 4x400m relay, being eliminated in the semi-final of the 400m sprint (finishinjg last with a time of 46.19secs) and being part of South Africa's silver medal winning relay team, making him the first amputee to win an able-bodied world track medal, although he was not selected for the final.Jean DriscollBorn with Spina Bifida, he was the quintessential wheelchair racing all rounder. Driscoll won seven straight Boston marathons between 1990 and 1996. She competed in four Paralympics, bagging five gold, three silver, and four bronze medals in events ranging from the 100 meter relay to the marathon. Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson Welsh wheelchair athlete, was born with Spina Bifida. Over a glittering career she won an incredible 16 Paralympic medals, 11 golds among them. Her Paralympicsfolds among came in the 00,200,400 and 800 meters, but she has also won the London wheelchair marathon six times. She has been honoured with an MBE and OBE, and was made a Dame Commander of the order of the British Empire for her services to the sport.Brian McKeeverAged 18, Canadian skier Brian Mckeever was competing at the world junior championships for able-bodied skiers. The next year he was diagnosed with Stargardts disease, which caused impaired vision. At the 2002 winter Paralympics Mckeever won two gold medals and a silver, with his brother Robin acting as his guide for the biathlon and crosscountry events. At the 2006 games Brian added two golds, a silver and a bronze to his tally. He also has countless Disabled World Cup and World Championship medals to his name.MayumiNaritaThe Japanese swimmer has been a wheelchair user since she was 13. She won two golds, two silvers and one bronze medal at the 1996 Paralympics and six golds at the Sydney games in 2000. But she saved her best performance for the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, where she won seven gold medals and a bronze, setting six world records in the process.Clodoaldo SilvaAffected by celebral palsy since birth, Brazilian Clodoaldo Silva's finest hour was at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, where he won six swimming golds and set four world records.Also competing at the 2000 and 2008 games, Silva has five silver medals and one bronze in his trophy cabinet.Natalie duToitThe south African was the first female amputee swimmer ever to qualify for able-bodied Olympics and first person to carry a counuys flag at the opening ceremony at the Olympics and Paralympics. Swimming without the aid of a prosthetic leg she won two golds in disability events at the 2002 Common wealth Games and she also qualified for the 800 meter able-bodied freestyle final.In the 2004 Paralympics, she won five golds and one silver medal and in 2008 she won another five golds at the Paralympics and finished 16"1 in the 10,000 swim at the able-bodied Olympics.Maria RunyanAt the Sydney Games in 2000, Runyan became the first legally blind __ athlete to compete at the Olympics, representing the U. S in the final of the 1,500 meters. In 2004; she returned to the Olympics, this time in the 5001 meters. She won a total of five golds and a silver medal at the 1992 and 1996 Paralympics in events ranging from the lOOmeters to the Pentathlon and soon switched to distance events ' in able-bodied competitions. She was a U.S 5,000m champion in 2001,2002 -and 2003, and U.S 10 km road " champion in 2002. Runyan is also a B top-level marathon runner, taking fourth in the 2002 New York Marathon and wining the Iwin Cities || Marathon in2006.Lauren WoolstencroftThe Canadian has skied since the age of four, undeterred by the fact that she was born without legs below the won two golds and a bronze in alpine skiing and at the Torino 2006 wrnter Paralympics she won a gold and a
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