How fast would Oscar Pistorius be with healthy legs?

No, he's actually at an advantage with his prostheses. Use the Search function to find many, many threads on the topic. Pistorius was tested and found not as fit as whole-bodied athletes who were posting similar times.

I can remember, BITD, when slow runners were told "a guy in a *wheelchair* could beat you!" Now we understand that trained wheelchair racers, with proper equipment, can go much faster than any able-bodied runner. Similarly, as prostheses improve (lighter, springier--and there's no intrinsic reason why they wouldn't get longer, too), the rare double-amputee like Pistorius has a marked advantage.

With normal legs he'd be a hobby jogger. The guy above is right...his condition gives him an advantage.

about 55 for 400.

link:

http://www.sportsscientists.com/2009/11/oscar-pistorius-gets-10-second.html

osama cliton wrote:

I really hope that he beats Wariner and wins a medal at worlds to show how stupid it is allow blades into competition.

I have a feeling a couple of able legged guys are going to beat him at Worlds

What if I lost my feet and had rollerblades? Would I be able to compete?

Then we all would call you Bladerunner!!

IAAF says he gains no advantage by using the devices thus he would be a 45.6 guy

dyjdyt wrote:

No, he's actually at an advantage with his prostheses. Use the Search function to find many, many threads on the topic. Pistorius was tested and found not as fit as whole-bodied athletes who were posting similar times.

I can remember, BITD, when slow runners were told "a guy in a *wheelchair* could beat you!" Now we understand that trained wheelchair racers, with proper equipment, can go much faster than any able-bodied runner. Similarly, as prostheses improve (lighter, springier--and there's no intrinsic reason why they wouldn't get longer, too), the rare double-amputee like Pistorius has a marked advantage.

Agreed.

He's also doesn't have to worry about injuring his feet, ankles or achillies. In training he always has a bounce and it's impossible for him to feel "flat".

"

IAAF says he gains no advantage by using the devices thus he would be a 45.6 guy"

This is BS. He runs the 100m in 11.0, 200m in 21high and 400m in 45. ? come on. This guy could set the 800m WR on those things if he trained for a year. It is so obvious it gives an advantage and the IAAF are a bunch of pussies sometimes with this stuff (ie. castor semenya)

Listen; I think what Oscar is doing is incredible - maybe even more so then athletes running 45. But it is also extremely unfair. But hey, I probably wouldn't be saying that if I had no legs and since he isn't setting world records and simply in the mix at the back of the pack it is exciting and interesting.

As soon as a double amputee that is a little fitter then him runs 41 seconds we will have a problem

Propulsive power is generated primarily by the muscles of the hips and thighs, not the lower legs. I can think of no reason to believe that he would be slower rather than faster if his real legs were intact. "But bionic legs act like springs!" So do real legs. And if we are to believe that artificial legs give him a net advantage, there is a major inconsistency in the fact that the next fastest amputee is light years behind him. He is CLEARLY a special athlete regardless of his condition.

His 100m time is slow because he can't accelerate on his completely passive artificial legs. He takes 50m to get up to speed.

Autsrian Economics wrote:

Propulsive power is generated primarily by the muscles of the hips and thighs, not the lower legs. I can think of no reason to believe that he would be slower rather than faster if his real legs were intact. "But bionic legs act like springs!" So do real legs. And if we are to believe that artificial legs give him a net advantage, there is a major inconsistency in the fact that the next fastest amputee is light years behind him. He is CLEARLY a special athlete regardless of his condition.

Then perhaps his blades should be fashioned from bone rather than carbon fibre. Oh wait why carbon fibre? Ah yes, of course it's lighter stronger and more flexible.

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EqualLegs wrote:

Then perhaps his blades should be fashioned from bone rather than carbon fibre. Oh wait why carbon fibre? Ah yes, of course it's lighter stronger and more flexible.

Good point. In addition, the weight of the blades and the weight of real lower legs is quite different. That would give him a huge power to weight ratio advantage that he wouldn't have normally. That is the biggest advantage that he has. Good for him but he has a huge advantage.

Yes. Oscar has superior power/weight ratio due to the ultra light carbon-fiber legs.

He also has an advantage due to the fact that those blades don't get tired. Another poster mentioned that most of your propulsion power comes from the hips/thighs/glutes, and while that's true, you do get SOME power from your lower legs. Try jumping up in the air without using your calves. Clearly Oscar has an advantage in the fact that his lower legs are incapable of fatigue.

I heard IAAF added WD40 and Rust-Oleum to the banned substance list since he started running.

His blades may not get tired, but they are also inferior in terms of the amount of propulsive power they provide. The question is: does he have a net advantage or disadvantage? It seems obvious to me that he has a net disadvantage in the 100m, where acceleration is critical and fatigue is not a significant factor. Perhaps he has more of an advantage at 400m, where acceleration is less critical than resistance to fatigue.

Autsrian Economics wrote:

...if we are to believe that artificial legs give him a net advantage, there is a major inconsistency in the fact that the next fastest amputee is light years behind him.

Sorry, that doesn't hold water. The next-fastest amputee is a single amputee, who cannot use a *pair* of prostheses to "grow" four inches (or a foot--in principle, there's no clear limit for Pistorius) taller, and who is limited by having to have his prosthetic limb move at the same tempo as his intact limb.

Pistorius is, beyond question, a special athlete. He is not as fit as some of the able-bodied runners he has beaten (the IAAF tests determined that); his bilateral prostheses give him an advantage.

Not to beat a dead horse--because that was done a couple years back, when he first came to international prominence--but Pistorius is at an unfair advantage over able-bodied runners. If and when he gets into world-beating shape--and I'm not saying it would be easy!--he should take a page from the book of his countrywoman, just edge through the qualifying rounds, and then "miraculously" blow open the final on the homestraight.

And if he could race an 800 when in top shape--which I hope the officials would not allow, as dangerous to all concerned--he would run below 1:40. Guaranteed.

My guess is they let hm through to avoid the lawsuit.

Kinda hope he busts out a 42 then moves to the 800m.

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whoo wrote:

I mean, the dude flies with those blades but as an able-bodied dude, he could move.