“Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius on Saturday begins his quest to retain his three Paralympic sprint titles but he could be eclipsed by a lightning-quick Irishman, as a controversial showdown beckoned in the pool.
The South African sprinter, who earned his nickname as he competes on carbon fibre prosthetics, lines up in the heats for the T44 200m in London, just weeks after becoming the first double-amputee to compete in the Olympics.
But while the 25-year-old has become a household name across the world, another defending Paralympic champion has staked his claim to be king of the track — and the new face of the competition.
Jason Smyth, of Ireland, blitzed the field in the T13 100m heat late on Friday, lowering the world record to 10.54secs and securing a place in the final on Saturday night, just before Pistorius begins his campaign.
