The South Africa Olympic Committee announced Wednesday that double-amputee runner Oscar Pistorius will represent South Africa in the 400-meter race in London despite failing to qualify. He is slated to be the first track-and-field amputee to compete in the Olympics. Pistorius, called “Blade Runner” because of his blade-like prosthetics, started the year with a qualifying time of 45.20 but missed the required 45.30 mark with a 45.52 finish at the African Championships last weekend. Pistorius will also run in the 1,600-meter relay and defend his three Paralympics gold medals. “Since he’s going to be there [in London], our decision is he can run both,” Tubby Reddy, Olympic committee chief executive, said.
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