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One of the fastest runners on the planet has no legs.
At what point are you robot or cybog? Legs? Heart?
This is Alexandra Cardinale and you're watching The Meme Factory
[music]
There is a man in the London Olympics known as The Blade Runner
A dashing South African runner who puts Speedy Gonzales to shame.
and he doesn't even have legs.
[crowd cheering]
psssh ... I can do that ... I mean ... ah ... ah ... I have ... you know ... legs ...
I mean what's the big deal ... pshhh ... I can walk just fine ... ahhh
[music]
[coughing]
Oscar Pistorius (track and field national star) made Olympic history
as the first ever athlete to compete with prosthetic limbs
Not in the Paralympics
The 100% All Natural Olympics
After having his legs amputated before the age of 1
due to a birth defect
Oscar grew up using prosthetic legs
The ultra high performance carbon fiber artificial legs of awsome ... aka Cheetahs
What? They are actually called "Cheetahs"?
[music - Theme to ThunderCats]
Oh yea that sounds fair. Ok.
These are the key in Oscar's ability to compete in the 400 meter sprint
And while amazing a feat and innovative as ever,
it is not the first time people have questioned
whether or not The Blade Runner has an unfair advantage over the traditional athlete.
Which I understand. There's just less leg to deal with
His body can function differently using oxygen, and blood flow
and other things and words that I won't even pretend I understand.
In fact, Oscar was preparing for his moment of glory in the 2008 Beijing games
before the International Track Federation barred him from competition for that exact reason.
Really? You want to be the *** that says that the guy without legs can't run?
"It's not that I don't want to run paralympic or disabled races," Oscar told NPR.
"but this is just a challenge for me, and any good sportsman that wants to be better"
"has to face up to challenges that aren't as easy as some of the others."
Good guy Oscar.
And it's with this mindset that Oscar worked with the University of Colorado
to come up with irrefutable proof that his body functions
just the same as any of his elite athletic competiors.
And now 4 years later, after fighting his case in the
court of arbitration of sport
with qualifying times
Oscar Pistorious, The Blade Runner, will be the first man to compete
in the Olympics without legs.
Oscar is what I call a game changer.
Changing the very meaning of what it means to be defined as an Olympian
and setting the bar for the many athletes to come and challenge his title
as the only athlete with prosthetics to run the
400 meter sprint in under 50 seconds.
Who do you side with?
But really the question is: What does it mean to be an Olympian?
And to be human. At what point are you no longer human and a cyborg?
Throw down in the comment box below.
That's all I have for you today world.
Thank you very much for watching.
Like and subscribe for a dose of news and satire on the daily
and you can check us out on Facebook, Twitter and the Podcast
This has been Alexandra Cardinale, and you just watched The Meme Factory
I'll see you on the wire. Signing Off
[music]
Crunchy Frog. The Argument Clinic.
Stupid Git (laughs)
Oh you're looking for an argument, this is abuse.
[funny noises]
What? Are you watching me in the bath?
Are you filming me in the bath? You better not put it on YouTube.
Allen, Allen, Allen, Allen
Any good sportman (flubs line). [growls]
better ... (flubs line).
(goofy sounds)
All the cursing I do in the bloopers ... (slang curse words)
[funny sounds]