Pistorius misses latest bid to qualify for Olympics

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Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius today failed in another attempt to qualify for the Olympics.

The South African finished seventh in the 400 meter B race at Rome’s Golden Gala meet with a time of 46.62.

Pistorius resumed training less than two months ago after the Court of Arbitration for Sport said he was eligible to compete for a berth on his nation’s Olympic team, a ruling Diane Pucin chronicled.

He has been trying to meet the required ‘A’ time of 45.55 to qualify for the Olympics in the 400, although his personal best is only 46.36.

In the last two years no South African in the 400 has met the required ‘A’ time of 45.55.

If Pistorius is the runner South African athletic officials want at the Beijing Games, he will have to meet the ‘B’ time of 45.95 to run the open 400.

The court overturned a decision by the Assn. of Athletics Federation that Pistorius’ carbon-fiber prosthetics gave him an unfair advantage and was banned from able-bodied races.

-- Debbie Goffa