mitchee
Female Member 
LBKA - 2006
Posts: 55
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Post by mitchee on Dec 4, 2009 11:41:59 GMT -7
I'm not trying to start an argument over whether Oscar Pistorius has an advantage or not. I'm just posting a link to a new sudy. For those interested, click on the link below to a new study about Oscar Pistorius' cheetah legs. Oscar Pistorius' artificial limbs give him clear, major advantage for sprint runningwww.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-11/smu-opa111709.php |
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Post by allenuk on Dec 5, 2009 1:44:22 GMT -7
Whenever I see threads about Pistorius and his 'clear, major advantage', this thought occurs to me.
I will take this claim seriously only when I see how many top athletes are queuing up to have their legs cut off, so that they too can have this clear, major advantage.
Allen. (only a left bka, so I can't run very fast)
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ampgk
New Member
Posts: 42 
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Post by ampgk on Dec 5, 2009 3:32:32 GMT -7
It's not quite a new study. The article cited by mitchee concerns a discussion (in a point/counterpoint argument format; more on that in a minute) of the results of the study Oscar Pistorius commissioned in his appeal of the IAAF decision to bar him from the Beijing Olympics. Summarized, the investigators involved in the study don't agree on the interpretation of the data. The investigators fall into two groups: one which believes Pistorius has an advantage and another which does not (it may or may not be significant that this second group does not believe Pistorius is disadvantaged). It may alao be worth noting that an investigator in this second group has a commercial relationship with Ossur, one of Pistorius' sponsors. IMHO, here are two of the better articles written for a general audience concerning this dispute: If you really want to do your homework, you'll have to read the original papers: The first is the original investigation, the second is the discussion. AFAIK, the original IAAF study conducted by Peter Bruggemann at the German Sport University in Cologne (Institute of Biomechanics and Orthopaedics) in November 2007 has never been published. The results of that study were used by the IAAF in its initial decision to bar Pistorius from running in the Olympics. Wrapping this up, here's a quote from an article Wired did about Oscar back in March 2007:
"Ampie Louw, Pistorius’ running coach since 2003, says the biggest thing standing between the sprinter and the two seconds he needs to cut from his time in the 400 meters to make the Olympics may be his robust social life.
'Getting him to come here and train every day — that’s the challenge,' Louw says with a rueful laugh."
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