Wed, Sep 10, 2008 page20

• First drug scandal rocks Games, Pistorius thrills

  • AFP
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  The Paralympics was rocked by its first drugs scandal yesterday, but “Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius quickly created headlines for the right reasons with a thrilling 100m victory on the track.

  As China and Britain battled it out at the top of the medals table, the South African star edged the US’ Jerome Singleton by just 0.03 seconds after a sluggish start.

  He 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 US took the bronze, but the much-anticipated showdown with Marlon Shirley failed to materialize 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,’” said 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 fiber 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 yesterday 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 last Thursday, two days before the opening ceremony, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) 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.

  For your information

  Taiwanese Paralympians

  TUESDAY, SEPT. 9 Archery Men’s Individual Recurve W1/W2 Ranking Round Tseng Lung-hui placed 6th of 30 Chen Wu-ying placed 26th Elimination rounds start today Athletics Women’s 100m T54, Round 1 Heat 2 Chen Yu-lien placed 5th Eliminated Table Tennis Men’s Individual Class 4/5 Group C Ernst Bollden (Sweden) def. Lin Wen-hsin 3-0 Class 4/5 Group F Zhang Yan (China) def. Lin Yen-hung 3-0 Class 8 Group A Richard Csejtey (Slovakia) def. Hou Ting-sung 3-0 Li Manzhou (China) def. Hou Ting-sung 3-1 Class 8 Group B Alain Pichon (France) def. Hu Ming-fu 3-2 Mathieu Loicq (Belgium) def. Hu Ming-fu 3-1 Women’s Individual Class 5 Group B Tsai Hui-chu def. Maria Luiza Passos (Brazil) 3-0 Class 5 Group C Gu Gai (China) def. Wei Mei-hui 3-0
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