IAAF: Prosthetic legs provide less air resistance

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/more/07/16/bc.run.iaaf.amputeespri.ap/index.html?cnn=yes

Here's a small part of the story..pretty unbelievable they're saying an amputee has an advantage because the prosthetics provide less wind resistance (hopefully this isn't a d_b because a search for IAAF came up empty)

 

How do you do the rolling-eyes emoticon? I guess it's not enough that the guy finished last.

I can honestly say that when I first read about the guy I expected such a backlash -- as if the guy had some kind of advantage because he doesn't have lower legs.

Hey, who knows: maybe people will start cutting off their legs to get into the Olympics. I especially like the quote from the official who said they were just investigating this for, you know, all those cheatin' no-leggers who will follow.

 

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Of course it's not enough -- it's a sport governed by an initialed-sanctioning body like IAAF, FIA, WBF, WBC... screwed up from the get go

 

Like the NCAA, NFL, NHL, NBA, MLS.....

 

I respected the guy more before the race (because he wanted to give it a go) than I do now, mainly because he's been a whiner since he got his arse handed to him. So far he's managed to blame nearly every factor except the fact that he's simply not as fast as he thought he was.

That said, if you take away a normal sprinter's shoes he still can run in his bare feet. If you take away this guy's shoes, he's going no place in a big hurry.

And honestly ... based just on photos, I'd have to say that his prosthetics do provide less wind resistance and are designed at least in part to lower wind resistance.

 

He ran a 46.90 in Rome on Friday. Going for two races in three days, as well as the wet conditions, probably hurt him more than anything.

He only has to cut off 0.6 seconds from his time to reach the Olympic qualifying standard (46.3). It's probably in the IAAF's best interests to rule on this now, because he may hit that mark sometime soon.

 

The Olympic "B" qualifying standard is 45.95. The "A" standard is 45.55

 

Yeah, I've been wondering where AP got that 46.3 from. It's been in all their stories about Pistorius and I've changed it in every one of them.

 

Maybe that's for yards, since I think colleges use the 440 yard dash etc.

Either way, he doesn't have to shave much off his time to reach the standard, which would be why they're ruling now.

 

Nearly a second is a ton of time to shave off.

 

Since when is Myles Brandt a member of the IAAF?

 

If you're talking about the 100 or 200, sure. The 400, it's more plausible.