Amputee Pistorius says artificial legs safe for relay

DAEGU, Aug. 24 (Yonhap) -- Oscar Pistorius, the amputee sprinter from South Africa, on Wednesday rejected the claim that his artificial legs would present danger to other runners.
Speaking to reporters during his training here, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, Pistorius said he is confident that his 4x400-meter relay team will be successful no matter where he's slotted.
"I've run many relays before and I've never had an incident where I've been a hazard to another athlete or to myself," Pistorius said during a meeting with reporters. "I know there's a bit of concern about that. I've never had a problem in the seven years that I've been running."
Pistorius, called "Blade Runner" for his carbon fiber prosthetic limbs, is the first amputee athlete to compete at an able-bodied world championships. He met the qualifying requirements when he checked in at a personal-best 45.07 seconds in a 400節? race last month. He was also named to the South African relay team.
But earlier this month, Nick Davies, spokesman for the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), said it would be "sensible" for Pistorius to run in the first leg so he would stay in his lane, rather than moving for the baton changeover and risking an accidental clash with competitors.
Davies ultimately left the decision to the IAAF's technical delegates. But Pistorius on Wednesday said "it doesn't make much sense" for him to start off the relay.
"I have a slow start," he said. "For me to run the first leg where we don't have a running start, that means we've got the biggest disadvantage."
This isn't the first time Pistorius has had to answer questions about his legs. In 2008, the IAAF banned him from its competitions, on the grounds that his legs gave him an advantage over able-bodied athletes, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport later overruled the IAAF decision, making Pistorius eligible for competitions.
Controversies aside, Pistorius said he is "very excited" about the relay.
"The relay is the one opportunity for any sprinter to still be involved in a kind of a team sport," he said. "We don't get that opportunity much in track."
As for the individual event, Pistorius said he is nervous about his first world championships and he has "realistic expectations" of himself.
"I think realistically, with the times I've run this year, I should be able to make the quarterfinals," he said. "I hope the experience that I gain here is more important to me."
The first round of the 4x400節? relay is set for next Thursday, while the opening round for the 400節? is Sunday.