London, July 21 (ANI): South African Oscar Pistorius has become the first 'disabled' athlete to qualify for an able-bodied event in the 2012 Olympics in London.
With both legs amputated, Pistorius has qualified for the Oympics and next month's world championships by smashing his 400m personal best.
Pistorius, known as 'Blade Runner' because he runs on carbon fibre prosthetic running blades, recorded a new personal best of 45.07 seconds for the 400m race in Lignano, Italy.
"It was like a dream race. I just have not been able to sleep. I must have 300 messages congratulating me," Pistorius was quoted as saying, by The Daily Mail.
"I am sure tomorrow when I wake up and it is going to hit me. It is really humbling to know I have gotten so much support from everyone," he added.
A multiple Paralympic gold medalist, the South African had sought to compete in the world championships and Olympics for many years.
Pistorius, 24, had both legs amputated when he was just 11-months-old because of a congenital disorder.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport gave him a chance to compete with able-bodied athletes in May 2008, when it ruled in his favour after a long legal battle with the International Association of Athletics Federations over the use of his running blades, which the IAAF said gave him an unfair advantage. (ANI)
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