Humble Pistorius an inspiration for disabled people

PRETORIA, South Africa (Reuters) - Oscar Pistorius's family and friends on Friday described the pioneering South African paralympic athlete as a special human being without airs and graces or any complex over his disability.

Pistorius, who had both legs amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old due to a congenital disorder, was cleared on Friday by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to use his prosthetic carbon-fiber limbs to compete in able-bodied events.

He can now attempt to qualify for this year's Beijing Olympics although his coach believes a more realistic target for the 21-year-old may be the 2009 world championships.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) had banned Pretorius in January, ruling that the prosthetics gave him an advantage over able-bodied athletes.

Andy Scott, a pioneering South African paralympian now involved in corporate sponsorship of major sports, said:

"Oscar's massive accomplishments are an inspiration for all disabled people. But he is also one of the more grounded, humble 21-year-old superstars I've met.

"He has handled all the attention after his paralympic world records and all the pressures of this year really well.".

Oscar's father, Henke Pistorius, was celebrating his son's successful appeal in a Pretoria restaurant on Friday and said the loss of his lower legs was never a disability in their eyes.

"We don't speak in our family about Oscar being disabled, we've never treated him that way and so he's never had that to fall back on.

"I've been blessed with three children who are exactly the same, except Oscar is differently-abled and just quicker than the other two," Henke told Reuters on Friday.

STEELY DETERMINATION

He said Oscar had always shown a steely determination to reach the top.

"When Oscar decides he will do something, then he really applies his mind to it and his dedication means he can do it as good, if not better than, anyone else.

"He has got where he is because he does not listen to what other people say he can or cannot do."

Pistorius, who also races motorbikes in his spare time, has been an inspiration in the disabled community with his hands-on approach.

"Oscar has always been a helpful lad and he has been into Mozambique two or three times to hand out and help fit 60 to 80 pairs of artificial legs he organized from his sponsors, Ossur," Henke said.

Educated in Pretoria at the Boys' High School, Pistorius's school friend speak of a "lovely guy who would do anything for his friends". He also played rugby, tennis and water polo.

"From the time I first held Oscar in my arms when he was born and I cut the umbilical cord I could see there was something different about his feet," said Henke.

"But I never considered it a defect and feel the same way now as I did in those first few split seconds.

"His special circumstances are an opportunity."

Pretorius's coach Ampie Louw said they would prepare for the 2009 world athletics championships in Berlin, although he can now also try to qualify for this year's Beijing Olympics.

"We will in any case... at least prepare him for the world championships in two years' time for the final," said Louw, noting that Pretorius was "a very over the moon guy now".

He added: "... me and Oscar are the same. I hate losing and I will go for gold whatever it means and that's the way he is and if he's down in the blocks he always goes for the win and that is what I like about him."

(Additional reporting by Phakamisa Ndzamela in Johannesburg, editing by Ken Ferris)

("Countdown to Beijing Olympics" blog at blogs.reuters.com/china )