NST Online: Sports

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 07:31 PM PDT

DOUBLE amputee Oscar Pistorius saw his world 400m dream extinguished yesterday as defending champion LaShawn Merritt eased into the final just a month after returning from a drugs ban.

The controversial South African 'Blade Runner', who runs with carbon fibre prosthetic running blades and was making history as the first amputee to compete at the worlds, finished last in his semi-final heat.

Pistorius received a huge cheer from the South Korean crowd and mouthed 'thank you' to the camera as he lined up to race but could not find the pace he needed, timing 46.19sec to finish 22nd out of 24 runners in the semi-finals.

"I would really have liked to have performed better tonight. My goal was to make the semi-final and I did that. It's been a great experience. Even if I had run faster tonight I wouldn't have made the final," said an upbeat Pistorius.

"I have a lot of respect for the guys who have made the final. It's been a great opportunity and I've learned a lot from this experience.

"I'm a realist so for me to make the final, well I wasn't running close to those times. I never had. This is the championship I have worked for for many years. It's been a massive blessing."

But it was a different story for Merritt, who appeared in awesome form in qualifying quickest in 44.76s, with what seemed to be plenty in reserve.

"It feels good to have qualified for the final and defend my title tomorrow. I have trained hard to come here and do what I am doing right now. I will give it all out on the track," he said.

"We shall see how the final unfolds. A medal is everybody's goal."

The issue of whether the blades give Pistorius, cleared three years ago to run against able-bodied athletes, an advantage is back in the spotlight following his qualification for the worlds in South Korea.

Pistorius, 24, had both legs amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old because of a congenital condition that meant he was born without fibulae -- lower leg bones. -- AFP

Proton hold their own

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 07:31 PM PDT

IN front of a 300,000-strong crowd, Proton Motorsports demonstrated the pace and ability of the Satria Neo S2000 by scoring both drivers' and manufacturers' Intercontinental Rally Challenge points on the Barum Czech Rally Zlin, which ended on Sunday.

Proton are contesting this year's IRC alongside their hugely successful FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship programme, where the Satria Neo S2000 has won three of the four rounds so far this year.

The competition in last weekend's seventh IRC round was the toughest, with 29 of the world's fastest Super 2000 cars making the start among a total of 123 competitors.

Based in Zlin, the rally is known for attracting big crowds, but with temperatures hovering around 30 degrees for much of the event, the attendance hit a record-breaking 300,000 on the asphalt roads in the southeast of the Czech Republic.

Proton Motorsport drivers, double Junior World Rally champion PG Andersson and two-time European Rally champion Giandomenico Basso, were right in the thick of the action.

Unfortunately for Basso, a puncture ruined the Italian driver's hopes of taking points from the event, but Andersson (Sweden) was on exceptional form throughout to score.

Andersson ended the event in ninth place, less than 20 seconds behind local hero and former Ford World Rally Championship driver Roman Kresta, while Basso climbed to 13th having slipped to 18th after his puncture.

Buoyed by their burgeoning IRC pace, the Proton Motorsports team now head through Slovakia and into Hungary for the next round of the series, the Canon Mecsek Rally (Sept 9-11).

"I had a good feeling about the whole weekend and really enjoyed this rally.

"I liked the stages and we've also improved the car in the engine and the chassis. I feel that I know the car now and I can take it to the limit more and more. It's good." said Andersson.

The Czech rally was dominated by Skoda finishing in the top three positions with local driver, Jan Kopecky taking the top honours.

Out of 123 starters, 34 competitors failed to finish the gruelling rally which comprised 248.48km of competitive stages run over a total distance of 619.73km.

Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Isnin, 29 Ogos 2011

NST Online: Sports

NST Online: Sports

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