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UK: Gold for Pistorius as Paralympics hit home stretch

09-09-2012

On the penultimate day of the Paralympic Games in London, Oscar Pistorius has won gold in the 400-meter dash in a paralympic record time. The games come to a close on Sunday with a concert from Coldplay.


South Africa's Pistorius - who finished Saturday's race in 46.68 seconds - was the only man in the field to run under 50 seconds. The 400 title was the only one Pistorius was able to defend after winning three sprint gold medals at the Paralympics in Beijing. Earlier this week, he had to settle for second place in the 200 and fourth in the 100. He was also able to win gold with the South African 4x100 relay team.

"It was very, very special for me," Pistorius said after the race. "It was the last event of my season, it was the last event of the London 2012 Games."

He added, "it was my eleventh time I was able to come out on the track and I just wanted to end and give the crowd something they would appreciate and take home with them."

Pistorius, who is missing the lower half of both legs, also competed at the Olympics at the beginning of August, becoming the first amputee athlete to compete in the games. He made it to the semifinals of the 400 and his relay team placed eighth in the 4x400.

The 400 was the last medal to be awarded in the Olympic Stadium at the London Paralympics, which come to a close on Sunday. Before Coldplay takes the stage to headline the closing ceremony, six more medal events will take place: the men's T12, T46 and T54 as well as the women's T54 marathon, men's seven-a-side football and mixed wheelchair rugby.

mz/lw (AP, AFP)


http://www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,16227783,00.html

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