Associated Press
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa ó In the end, it was a split second and not a court’s decision that kept double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius from competing in the Beijing Olympics.
Pistorius was left off South Africa’s 1,600-meter relay team Friday, ending his hopes of participating in the Summer Games. He couldn’t hit the 400-meter qualifying time of 45.55 seconds, despite running a personal best 46.25 on Wednesday on his prosthetic blades at a meet in Lucerne, Switzerland.
Other disabled athletes have occasionally participated in the Olympics ó legally blind runner Marla Runyan competed for the U.S. in Sydney eight years ago, for instance. Yet Pistorius’ tenacity and a bitter argument over whether his blades gave him an edge made his bid to run stand out.
Pistorius overcame the International Association of Athletics Federations in a long legal struggle. The Court of Arbitration finally ruled against the IAAF in May, saying the sprinter’s carbon-fiber blades did not provide an unfair advantage against able-bodied athletes.
The 21-year-old Pistorius has said the court fight kept him from focusing on training, and acknowledged it might be more realistic to aim for the 2012 London Olympics. Athletics South Africa president Leonard Chuene said four other runners had faster times, and two others were chosen as alternates.
Pistorius plans to run at the Sept. 6-17 Paralympic Games in Beijing. He holds the Paralympic world record of 46.56 in the 400.
BC-FBNóPackers-Favre, 1st Ld,0153Pack prez Murphy backs GM, coach in Favre standoffEds: APNewsNow. SUBS last graf to CORRECT month; will be UPDATED.By CHRIS JENKINSAP Sports WriterMILWAUKEE (AP) ó Green Bay Packers president Mark Murphy has restated his support for general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy in their dealings with Brett Favre.
Murphy spoke Friday after a meeting of the team’s executive committee. He not available for comment, but a team spokesman said the club president has “full confidence” in how Thompson and McCarthy are handling this matter.
The Packers have refused to release Favre. The three-time MVP said in March he was retiring but has since changed his mind.