Sep 4, 2012

Already on Day 6, the London 2012 Paralympic Games is in full swing. The People’s Republic of China leads the medal count with an astonishing 49 golds (121 total) followed by Great Britain with 22 golds (74 total) and the Russian Federation with 18 golds (54 total). By the time of the Closing Ceremonies on September 9, the London Games will have welcomed 4,280 competitors from 164 nations, the largest number of athletes since the first Paralympics in 1960.

: Brazil’s Felipe Gomes (L) and guide Leonardo Souza Lopes (R) compete in the men’s 200m T11 semi-final during the athletics competition at the London 2012 Paralympic Games in the Olympic Stadium in east London on September 4, 2012. (Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images)

: Josh Vander Vies of Canada competes during the Mixed Pairs Boccia – BC4 bronze medal final on day 6 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at ExCel on September 4, 2012 in London, England. (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

: Dirceu Jose Pinto and Eliseu Dos Santos of Brazil celebrate winning gold in Mixed Pairs Boccia – BC4 on day 6 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at ExCel on September 4, 2012 in London, England. (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

: A technical official tests the black-out goggles during the Women’s Team Goalball preliminary round match between the United States and Canada on Day 6 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at the Copper Box in the Olympic Park on September 4, 2012 in London, England. (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

: Action during the Women’s Team Goalball preliminary round match between United States and Canada on Day 6 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at the Copper Box in the Olympic Park on September 4, 2012 in London, England. (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

: Amy Kneebone of Canada (7) saves a throw during the Women’s Team Goalball preliminary round match between United States and Canada on Day 6 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at the Copper Box in the Olympic Park on September 4, 2012 in London, England. Canada went on to win the match 1-0. (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

: Prince Harry celebrates as Team GB scores as he attends the Goalball on day 6 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at The Copper Box on September 4, 2012 in London, England. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

: Alphanso Cunningham of Jamaica competes in the Men’s Javelin Throw – F52/53 Final on day 6 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Olympic Stadium on September 4, 2012 in London, England. (Julian Finney/Getty Images)

: Iran’s Abdolreza Jokar competes in the men’s javelin throw F52/53 final during the athletics competition at the London 2012 Paralympic Games in the Olympic Stadium in east London on September 4, 2012. (Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images)

: Venezuala’s Jesus Aguilar (R) crashes just before the finish line of the men’s 800m T53 round 1 heat 2 during the athletics competition at the London 2012 Paralympic Games in the Olympic Stadium in east London on September 4, 2012. (Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images)

: Venezuela’s Jesus Aguilar raises his wheelchair after crashing just before the finish line during the men’s 800m T53 round 1 during the athletics competition at the London 2012 Paralympic Games in the Olympic Stadium in east London on September 4, 2012. (Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images)

: France’s Sebastien Mobre takes part in the men’s 200m T34 round 1 heat 2 in front of the Paralympic Flame during the athletics competition at the London 2012 Paralympic Games in the Olympic Stadium in east London on September 4, 2012. (Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images)

: The Brazilian team walk onto the pitch ready for the start of their men’s Team Football 5-a-side – B1 preliminary match against China on day 6 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Olympic Park on September 4, 2012 in London, England. (Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images)

: Kahraman Kurbetoglu of Turkey misses the ball attempting to shoot against France in their men’s Team Football 5-a-side – B1 preliminary match on day 6 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Olympic Park on September 4, 2012 in London, England. (Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images)

: Thomas Young of Great Britain competes in the Men’s 100m Backstroke – S8 heat 1 on day 6 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Aquatics Centre on September 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

: A Chinese swimmer is seen through an underwater window during a practice session at the London 2012 Paralympic Games in the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park in east London on September 4, 2012. (Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images)

: Prince Harry is given a mascot from an Australian Paralympic swimmer on day 6 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at the Aquatics Centre on September 4, 2012 in London, England. (Stefan Rousseau/WPA Pool/Getty Images)

: Cuba’s Yunidis Castillo celebrates wins the women’s 100m T46 round 1 heat 2 during the athletics competition at the London 2012 Paralympic Games in the Olympic Stadium in east London on September 4, 2012. (Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images)

: Matt Stutzman (USA) shoots in the semifinal round of the men’s compound – open during the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Royal Artillery Barracks on September 3, 2012. (Andrew Fielding/US Presswire)

: Alexey Ashapatov of Russia competes in the Men’s Shot Put – F57/58 Final on day 6 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Olympic Stadium on September 4, 2012 in London, England. (Julian Finney/Getty Images)

: China’s Xu Qing (L), Zheng Tao (C) and Brazil’s Adriano de Lima prepare to race in the men’s 50m Freestyle – S6 heats during the London 2012 Paralympic Games at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park September 4, 2012. The S6 category is for swimmers who have amputations of both arms, swimmers of short stature or moderate co-ordination problems. (Luke MacGregor/Reuters)

: Ukraine’s Iaroslav Semenenko dives in to compete in the men’s 50m Freestyle – S6 heats during the London 2012 Paralympic Games at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park September 4, 2012. (Luke MacGregor/Reuters)

: Eleanor Simmonds of Great Britain prepares to compete in the Women’s 50m Freestyle – S6 heat 3 on day 6 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Aquatics Centre on September 4, 2012 in London, England. (Clive Rose/Getty Images)

: Elexis Gillette of the U.S. competes in the men’s Long Jump Final F11 during the London 2012 Paralympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in London, September 4, 2012. In the F11 category the competitors are completely blind and have a guide when competing. (Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

: Poland’s Natalia Partyka competes in the women’s table tennis single class 10 at the ExCel arena in London, on September 3, 2012. Natalia Partyka won the event. (Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images)

: View of ‘USA’ tattoo on Jeff Fabry’s (USA) arm during the finals for the men’s compound- W1 during the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Royal Artillery Barracks on September 3, 2012. (Andrew Fielding/US Presswire)

: Jeff Fabry (USA) shoots in the semifinal round of the men’s compound – W1 during the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Royal Artillery Barracks on September 3, 2012. (Andrew Fielding/US Presswire)

: Poland’s Lukasz Mamczarz picks up his prosthetic leg while competing in the Men’s High Jump F42 Final athletics event during the London 2012 Paralympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in east London, on September 3, 2012. (Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images)

: The Philippines’ Andy Avellana competes in the Men’s High Jump F42 Final athletics event during the London 2012 Paralympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in east London, on September 3, 2012. (Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images)

: Fiji’s Iliesa Delana competes in the Men’s High Jump F42 Final athletics event during the London 2012 Paralympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in east London, on September 3, 2012. Iliesa Delana won gold medal. (Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images)

: Iliesa Delana from Fiji celebrates winning the men’s High Jump Final F42 during the London 2012 Paralympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in London, September 3, 2012. (Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

: Umpires look on as Australia’s Ahmed Kelly prepares on the starting blocks for the Men’s 50 metres Breaststroke Final SB3 category during the London 2012 Paralympic Games at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park in east London on September 3, 2012. (Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images)

: A coach uses a stick with a soft end to let Yang Bozun of China know that he is reaching the end of the pool during the men’s 100m Backstroke S11 swimming final at the London 2012 Paralympic games at the Olympic Park in Stratford in London, September 2, 2012. The S11 category is for the visually impaired. (Andrew Winning/Reuters)

: Kheda Berieva of Russia celebrates a lift in the Women’s 60kg Powerlifting on day 4 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at ExCel on September 2, 2012 in London, England. (Julian Finney/Getty Images)

: Second-placed Rudy Garcia-Tolson (L) of the U.S. congratulates gold medallist Yevheniy Bohodayko from Ukraine after the men’s 200m individual medley SM7 swimming event at the London 2012 Paralympic games at the Olympic Park in Stratford in London, September 2, 2012. (Andrew Winning/Reuters)

: Norway’s Bjornar Erikstad controls the sail using his mouth as he competes in the Single Person Keelboat (2.4mR) sailing competition during the London 2012 Paralympic Games in Weymouth and Portland, southern England September 2, 2012. (Luke MacGregor/Reuters)

: Robert Richardson of Great Britain returns a shot during the Men’s Sitting Volleyball Preliminary Round Pool A match against Morocco on day 4 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at ExCel on September 2, 2012 in London, England. (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

: Vanessa Low (GER) competes in the women’s long jump F42/44 final during the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Olympic Stadium on September 2, 2012. (Paul Cunningham/US Presswire)

: Jacob Thomas of Great Britain uses his feet to aim his ramp during the BC3 Mixed Pairs Boccia pool match against Greece on day 4 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at ExCel on September 2, 2012 in London, England. Greece won the match 5-0. (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

: Jacob Thomas of Great Britain uses a helmet mounted attachment to launch a ball from the ramp during the BC3 Mixed Pairs Boccia pool match against Greece on day 4 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at ExCel on September 2, 2012 in London, England. (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

: Oscar Pistorius of South Africa breaks the world record with a time of 21.30 as he competes in the Men’s 200m – T44 heats on day 3 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Olympic Stadium on September 1, 2012 in London, England. (Scott Heavey/Getty Images)

: Catherine O’Neill of Ireland competes in the Women’s Club throw F51/31/32 classification final at the Olympic Stadium during the London 2012 Paralympic Games September 1, 2012. All competitors are seated for their throws and have varying levels of upper limb movement impairment. (Toby Melville/Reuters)

: Britain’s Justine Moore (R) and Judit Palfi of Hungary compete in the qualification round of Women’s Individual Foil- Category B on the first day of Fencing at the London 2012 Paralympic Games September 1, 2012. Category B athletes have an impairment that affects either their trunk or their fencing arm. (Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters)

: Matt Stutzman of the U.S. loads his bow using his feet during practice ahead of the Archery Men’s Individual Compound – Open at the London 2012 Paralympic Games August 31, 2012. (Olivia Harris/Reuters)

: USA forward Desi Miller shoots against Germany during the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Basketball Arena on August 31, 2012. Germany defeated USA 54-48. (Andrew Fielding/US Presswire)

: Brendan Hall of Australia steadies himself after a training swim as his prosthetic leg leans against a race officials’ chair on the third day of the London 2012 Paralympic games at the Olympic Park in Stratford in London, September 1, 2012. (Andrew Winning/Reuters)

: Libby Clegg of Britain (L) and her guide Mikail Huggins run during the Women’s 100m T12 classification heat at the Olympic Stadium during the London 2012 Paralympic Games September 1, 2012. Clegg set a world record in her heat, which lasted seven minutes before being beaten in the following heat. In the T12 category the competitors are partially sighted and can have a guide when competing, but must cross the finish line ahead of their guide. (Toby Melville/Reuters)

: Assunta Legnante of Italy wears an eye mask depicting a pair of eyes during the Women’s Discus F11/12 classification final at the Olympic Stadium during the London 2012 Paralympic Games September 1, 2012. In the F11 category the competitors are completely blind and have a guide when competing. (Toby Melville/Reuters)

: Germany’s Wojtek Czyz wins silver in the men’s long Jump F42/44 classification final during the London 2012 Paralympic Games at the Olympic Stadium August 31, 2012. (Eddie Keogh/Reuters)

: A general view of the Paralympic flame and cauldron during the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 31, 2012. (Leo Mason/US Presswire)

Pistorius shows disabled sport can stand controversy
Kevin Liffey and Chris Wickham
Reuters
4:19 p.m. EDT, September 3, 2012

LONDON (Reuters) – South African “blade runner” Oscar Pistorius has unleashed a debate about disabled sport with an emotional claim that a rival in the T44 200 meters final at the London Paralympics beat him thanks to longer prosthetic legs.

Pistorius had not been beaten over 200m for nine years, but the result of Sunday’s final was less of a shock than the post-race outburst of a man who is the face of disabled sport partly thanks to his dignified campaign to be allowed to challenge able-bodied runners at the Olympics.

“The size of some of the other guys’ legs are unbelievably long,” Pistorius told Britain’s Channel 4 television.