Amputee legs provide air advantage: IAAF

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Amputee legs provide air advantage: IAAF

http://au.news.yahoo.com/070717/2/13zgn.html

The prosthetic legs that double-amputee sprinter Pistorius

races with provide less air resistance than normal legs, the IAAF has

said.

Pistorius, who competed against elite able-bodied athletes for the

first time on Sunday at the British Grand Prix, wears curved, carbon-

fibre prosthetic legs when he races.

Hoping to be allowed to compete at the Beijing Olympics next year,

Pistorius also ran in a " B " race in Rome on Friday, and finished

second.

" The guy beat on Friday - the stride length was the same, but

the speed through the air was slower for the able-bodied guy, " IAAF

spokesman Nick Davies said.

" This research makes us want to do more. "

The International Association of Athletic Federations has been

reviewing footage from two high definition cameras that filmed

Pistorius in Rome to determine if his prosthetic racing legs give him

an unfair advantage.

Davies said the initial research also showed that the way Pistorius

distributed energy was virtually the opposite to able-bodied runners.

And unlike able-bodied runners, Pistorius was faster at the end of

the race instead of the beginning.

Pistorius finished second on Friday in 46.90 seconds. But against the

elite field on Sunday in Sheffield, England, he was the last racer

across the finish line and was then disqualified for running outside

his lane.

The IAAF introduced a rule in March banning any runner deemed to

benefit from artificial help from competing, but Davies said that was

not necessarily meant to include athletes like Pistorius.

" Maybe he's overreacting over certain things. He seems to think that

we've banned him then decided he was eligible, " Davies said.

" We clarified the situation. No-one has banned him. We want to give

him the benefit of the doubt. "

Davies also said the IAAF was not discriminating against disabled

athletes, citing legally blind runner Marla Runyan of the United

States, who competed in the 1,500m at the 2000 Olympics and in the

5,000m in Athens four years later.

" We need to separate emotion from the science, " Davies said.

" We all wish him well. The point here is what's going to happen in 10

years? What happens if it continues to evolve? "

Pistorius was born without fibulas - the long, thin outer bone

between the knee and ankle - and was 11 months old when his legs were

amputated below the knee.

He began running four years ago to treat a rugby injury, and nine

months later won the 200 meters at the 2004 Paralympic Games in

Athens, Greece.

He has set world records in the 100m, 200m and 400m in Paralympic

events.

To make next year's Olympics, Pistorius would have to run a 46.3

before the July 2008 qualifying deadline.

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Carruthers

Wakefield, UK