Amputee Wins Appeal

By now, almost everyone has heard Oscar Pistorius' incredible story. The 21-year-old South African was born without fibulas and had both legs amputated below the knee when he was only 11 months old. Amazingly, he is a double amputee world record holder for multiple running races, with the help of artificial limbs and a whole lot of determination.

One can only imagine Oscar's immense disappointment when his Olympic dreams were almost dashed: the International Association of Athletics Federations banned for races after this January the use of any kind of artificial limb or device that could give the runner an unfair advantage. This made him ineligible for the upcoming Olympics in Beijing, and any subsequent Games.

On May 16, however, the decision was reversed; Oscar, incredibly thrilled, still must qualify by meeting certain race time requirements. Nonetheless, he is pursuing a lifelong dream, and would be the first leg amputee to compete in the Olympics. His motto sums up his determination succinctly: "You're not disabled by the disabilities you have, you are able by the abilities you have." [USA Today]