Double amputee Oscar Pistorius’s landmark Olympic campaign gained a reprieve on Thursday as South Africa were given a place in Friday’s 4x400m relay final on appeal. “IT’S ON!! We in the FINAL. Team management Protested as Ofentse was taken out and we have been given Lane 9!! @ljvanzyl to take his place!!!” tweeted Pistorius after he heard the news. “Will be up on the 3rd leg tomorrow for the Final! Really can’t wait” Pistorius, 25, thought his adventure had come to an end when second leg runner Ofentse Mogawane fell on the bend into the home straight after tangling with Kenya’s Vincent Kiilu. Mogawane suffered a dislocated left shoulder. While Kiilu said he had been spiked his team agreed he was at fault, having viewed the video evidence, after the organisers disqualified Kenya on account of Kiilu’s actions. That prompted South Africa to appeal. “The Jury of Appeal met and agreed to advance the South African team to the final, even though they did not finish the race, considering that they had been severely damaged in the incident with Kenya,” said the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in a statement.
