The Paralympics was rocked by its first drugs scandal on Tuesday but ”Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius quickly created headlines for the right reasons with a thrilling 100m victory on the track.
As China established a narrow lead at the top of the medals table, the South African star edged Jerome Singleton from the United States by just 0,03 seconds after a sluggish start to take gold.
Pistorius crossed the line in 11,17 seconds in front of a near-full house at the Bird’s Nest National Stadium on a wet night.
Brian Frasure of the United States took the bronze but the much-anticipated showdown with Marlon Shirley failed to materialise as the American collapsed two-thirds into the race.
”It’s unbelievable. The 100m was something I was definitely a bit worried about,” said Pistorius, adding that he had had to fight hard after his slow start on the wet track.
”I was just so happy. After the first 30m I thought ‘well the first 30 is done, it’s behind me, I’ve messed it up and now I can focus on the rest of the race’,” added Pistorius, who will now look to the 200m and 400m.
The 21-year-old is the world record holder in his category in all three sprint events he is competing in at the Paralympics.
Nicknamed after the carbon fibre blades he wears, Pistorius staged a high-profile quest to qualify for the Olympics in the 400m event, but eventually fell short.
Nevertheless, he is aiming to compete against the able-bodied elite in the London 2012 Games.
Earlier on Tuesday a shadow was cast over the Games when it was revealed that Pakistani powerlifter Naveed Ahmed Butt (37) had been given a two-year ban for steroid use.
In the first drugs scandal of the Paralympics, he tested positive for the steroid methandienone metabolites on September 4, two days before the opening ceremony, the International Paralympic Committee said.
”In accordance with the IPC anti-doping code, and after a hearing of the IPC anti-doping committee, the IPC ratified the decision to disqualify Butt,” the committee said in a statement.
A total of 356 tests have been carried out at the Games, both in and out of competition, according to IPC figures until the end of Monday.
At the Athens Games in 2004, 680 doping tests were conducted, resulting in 10 anti-doping rule violations, according to the IPC.
In another controversy, officials on Tuesday ordered the previous day’s women’s 5Â 000 metres wheelchair race to be repeated even though the medal ceremony had already been held.
The race saw a huge pile-up less than 100 metres from the finishing line, taking six athletes out of the race.
Only five athletes completed the race and a jury of appeal studied the video footage and decided the race should be repeated on Friday.
After the day’s events were completed, China was top on 16 golds, ahead of Britain on 14. China had a total of 53 medals, compared with Britain’s 32.
More than 4Â 000 competitors from nearly 150 countries and regions are battling for 472 gold medals in 20 sports at the eye-catching venues used for the Olympics such as the Bird’s Nest and the Water Cube.
The sports at the Paralympics, which end on September 17, include athletics, swimming, powerlifting, wheelchair fencing and five-a-side and seven-a-side football, as well as the lesser-known goalball and boccia.
China, eager to showcase the progress it has made in catering for the disabled, has adopted the motto ”Two Games with Equal Splendour” for the Games, comparing them with the Olympics. – AFP
