The Jamaica Star :: Sport :: Pistorius misses Olympic qualifying mark in Italy

Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius of South Africa competes during the men's 400-meter race at the Athletics International Meeting 'Notturna di Milano' in Milan, Italy, yesterday. Pistorius is aiming to become the first amputee sprinter to run at the Olympics. - AP

MILAN, Italy (AP)

Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius slowed on the final straight yesterday in his first able-bodied race in nearly a year, finishing fourth and well outside the Olympic qualifying time.

The South African finished with a time of 47.78 seconds in the 400-metre B race at the Milan Notturna meet. The time he needs to qualify for the Olympics is 45.55.

"I'm disappointed with my time," Pistorius said. "I've only had a month and a half to train, but I didn't expect it to be this bad. I let myself down. I've got to be realistic. I'm chasing something that may be unattainable. It's starting to look impossible."

Pistorius' lifetime best is 46.36.

Pistorius only resumed training six weeks ago when a sports arbitration court ruled that he was eligible to run in Beijing.

The court overturned a decision by the International Association of Athletics Federations that Pistorius' carbon fibre prosthetic racing blades gave him an unfair advantage and that he should be banned from the Olympics and any other able-bodied race.

My tactics

Fiorenzo Moscatelli of Italy won the race in 47.26 seconds on a hot and muggy night at Milan's historic arena.

Pistorius led at the final turn, but faded in the last 100 meters. Afterward, he sat down in disappointment for several minutes on the infield.

"I went out too fast and I didn't have any energy left at the end," Pistorius said. "I've got to go back and take a look at my tactics. Usually I have a slower start."

Pistorius' next qualifying attempt will come at the Golden Gala meet in Rome on July 11.

"Rome will be a better race," he said.

Pistorius also plans to race in Lucerne, Switzerland, on July 16, and will run a 200-meter race in Lignano, Italy, on July 13 "for fun," to work on his sprinting.

His most realistic shot to compete in the August 8-24 Beijing Games could be as part of South Africa's four-man relay, for which six team members are chosen. Pistorius' manager Peet van Zyl said he might be able to qualify for that with a time of 46.1 or 46.2, depending on how the other runners fare.

A blessing

Pistorius competed in two major able-bodied races last year. He finished with a time of 46.90 at the Golden Gala in Rome, then was disqualified for running outside his lane two days later in Sheffield, England.

"It's the first time I've raced at this level in nearly a year," said Pistorius, who 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. "Just being on the track tonight was a gift and a blessing."

Martin Rooney of Britain won the 400m A race in 45.44 seconds.

In other events, world indoor champion Deresse Mekonnen of Ethiopia won the men's 1,500 in 3:34.02 and Rakia al Gasra of Bahrain timed 11.12 to win the women's 100-meter dash while wearing a full body suit, including a hood covering her hair,

Olympic 20-kilometre champion Ivano Brugnetti won the 5K walk in 19 minutes, 7.72 seconds, more than 30 seconds ahead of double world 50K bronze medalist Alex Schwazer, in the final test before Beijing for both athletes.