Oscar Pistorius appears in the magistrates court in Pretoria, South Africa, on June 4, 2013. The double-amputee Olympian faces a life sentence in prison if convicted of killing his girlfriend. Photo: AP
For some of the 400-meter sprinters at the athletics world championships the subject of Oscar Pistorius remains either taboo or not worth tackling.
And yet for Olympic champion Kirani James, there’s almost a sense of disappointment that Pistorius wasn’t present for the event’s opening round on Sunday.
The South African double-amputee won’t compete as he prepares for his murder trial.
A year ago in London, the “Blade Runner” was one of the faces of the Olympics as Pistorius enthralled the capacity crowds not so much with his performances, but through his perseverance.
James even swapped nametags with Pistorius at the London Games, just to have a keepsake.
The defending world champion from Grenada recently ran across Pistorius’ detachable jersey number while moving into a new apartment and intends to frame it.
“For him not to be here, it’s something the sport is missing,” said James, who had the second-fastest time in qualifying.
“I’ve always seen him as an inspiration for not just sports but life – in terms of no matter where you’re from or what disability you have, whether it’s physical or mental, you can still do something you love and be good and proud of doing it.
“He has a very special situation. I’ll be praying for him.” – AAP
Related articles
