Bionic Man Destroys Track and Field

When an international court ruled Friday that a double-amputee sprinter from South Africa was eligible to compete in this summer’s Olympic Games in Beijing, the stage was set for disabled athletes to meet their own trailblazer.

I think they know that with his body size(even though he stands taller than he would have with his own legs) and strength, he can run faster than an athlete with prosthetic limbs ever has but despite the improvements in prosthetic technology he still can't quite approach Olympic times. This means they can have this feel good decision but what about a few years from now or sooner, the research increases to improve the technology as disabled athletes and others see an opportunity for themselves to compete in regular track and field events(arguably rightly so). But the problem is now if he is allowed why not someone else with even better artificial legs or artificial arms for javelin throwing.

If he did manage to win, just about everyone will think and some will say, it was the legs that won. No matter what he does those will never be his legs so basically it's a freak show but it's also a sign of things to come and if it's going to be a wide open race great but they will have to get rid of bans on everything and let the best motor ablized, bio and chemo assisted, mechanically enhanced, genetically enhanced human, regular human or superhuman win.

http://www.nytimes.com/ref/sports/20070514_RUNNER_GRAPHIC.html