Paralympian’s view: Oscar Pistorius
THE BLADE RUNNER LOOKS TO 2012
Q.HOW ARE YOU PREPARING FOR THE LONDON 2012 PARALYMPIC GAMES?
A.I’m still busy with the 2011 season at the moment, which ends in two weeks’ time. I’ll have a bit of time off and then my training for London 2012 will begin at the end of October. I had a great year this year so I’m going to try and replicate that for 2012. Other than that I’ll just focus on getting my diet right; lots of fruit and veg, and staying away from too many carbs.
Q.WHO ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT SEEING IN ACTION?
A.I’m good friends with Martyn Rooney so I’ll definitely be looking out for him. There are some really talented Brits who will be competing, Mo Farah, who did so well at the World Championships in Daegu, will be great to see, and in the Paralympics I think David Weir will be exciting to watch in the wheelchair racing.
Q.WHAT EVENTS ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT?
A.Other than athletics, I’m hoping to watch as many events as possible next year. In particular, the boxing at the Olympics is something I’m keen to see and the powerlifting at the Paralympics as well.
Q.WHICH RECORDS COULD BE BROKEN?
A.It’s hard to say – I think at any Games the world records are always up for grabs. It’s the highlights of so many athletes’ careers that people perform to the very best of their abilities, and you always get so many records broken.
Q.HOW DO LONDON’S VENUES COMPARE TO THOSE IN BEIJING?
A.I was lucky enough to visit the Olympic Stadium back in May when I was over for the BT Paralympic World Cup, it’s an amazing venue and it really got me excited about running there next year. I think one of the most impressive things about the London 2012 venues is how they’ve managed to use so many recycled materials to build them. Beijing was an amazing and unique place, but I love coming to London and the fans in this country really love their sport so I think it will make for an unbelievable atmosphere.
Q.ANY WORDS OF WISDOM?
A.You are not disabled by your disabilities, but abled by your abilities. South African Oscar Pistorius is the three-times Paralympic champion in the T44 100m, 200m and 400m. Pistorius is a BT Ambassador to the Games. BT is the official communications partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Visit www.bt.com/london2012