Paralympians Defying Odds: The Rise of Oscar Pistorius at the Olympics

Abstract

Student’s Name Paralympians competing in the Olympic games and the potential implications for the Paralympic games Brief Summary Oscar Pistorius, a renowned South African double-amputee Paralympian, suffered polio as a baby. As a result, his legs got amputated just below the knee at the age of eleven years due to fibular hemimelia condition. His disability which emerged at an early age never prevented him from engaging in sports. Oscar's relentless efforts, perseverance and passion for sports enabled him to be crowned as an award-winning sprint runner and even placed him at the ability to compete in non-disabled Olympics (Mataruna-Dos-Santos et al., 2018). His ability to run was made more effective and efficient by custom-made prosthetic legs, enabling him to have an optimal angle in the contact between the foot and the road. Oscar’s zeal and zest to overcome his disability enabled him to acquire the Helen Rollason award in 2007. In 2012, he became a superstar after competing with non-disabled individuals to overcome the odds (Mataruna-Dos-Santos et al., 2018). His massive success in the world of sports increased his popularity. His popularity was also attributed to the mass media. Through his success story, he travelled in various parts of the world and hence earned a huge following from multitudes of people in various parts of the world. Oscar is definitive proof that disability is not a failure of an individual. His persistence, artistic skills and determination have enabled him to defy the norms and emerge victorious. What I learned Oscar Pistorius's story made me learn that no one is limited. I also learned that success is a just state of the mind since any individual can obtain it despite physical impairments. How might this story help my future career? This story instilled hope and the ability to embrace perseverance...