FARK.com: (7196482) What do you call a man with no legs who goes to the Olympics? An Olympian

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		What do you call a man with no legs who goes to the Olympics? An Olympian (bbc.co.uk)		212
		More: Spiffy, Oscar Pistorius, Paralympics, Court of Arbitration for Sport, IAAF, olympics, legs

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6689 clicks; posted to Main » on 04 Jul 2012 at 10:15 PM | Favorite | share:

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Skywolf Philosopher		2012-07-04 02:21:16 PM

This is what I would have done if ever I lost my legs.

AqueousBoy		2012-07-04 05:19:17 PM

Skywolf Philosopher: This is what I would have done if ever I lost my legs.

Hey, you still have a chance.

www.cafesouris.com

doglover		2012-07-04 08:47:04 PM

Seems like a bad precedent. Prosthetics aren't muscles. They can't get tired. They can be lengthened. They can be optimized.

Props on the guy for shootin' for the moon, but they pinched a loaf over those body suits a few years ago. Mechanical legs seem much more advantageous.

Barfmaker		2012-07-04 08:47:47 PM

Cool headline Subs, nicely done.

Snarcoleptic_Hoosier		2012-07-04 08:52:06 PM

Eileen?

/Think about it

dopeydwarf		2012-07-04 08:54:48 PM

Snarcoleptic_Hoosier: Eileen?

/Think about it

That's low.

gopher321		2012-07-04 09:37:01 PM

O-limp-ian?

/someone had to say it

Sudo_Make_Me_A_Sandwich		2012-07-04 09:59:33 PM

Poor little Tink Tink

ElLoco		2012-07-04 10:17:17 PM

Mat?

Or is that the door guy? I can never remember.

expobill		2012-07-04 10:18:08 PM

bob
matt
art
cliff
ben
bill
irene
ilene
stan
phil
and igor

Sargun		2012-07-04 10:18:41 PM

doglover: Seems like a bad precedent. Prosthetics aren't muscles. They can't get tired. They can be lengthened. They can be optimized.

Props on the guy for shootin' for the moon, but they pinched a loaf over those body suits a few years ago. Mechanical legs seem much more advantageous.

If this guy had an advantage he wouldn't have missed his shot at the real event he was participating in and only gotten in on a technicality by participating on a relay team.

Lovelight		2012-07-04 10:19:31 PM

more like no feet from what I see.

Dwight_Yeast		2012-07-04 10:21:08 PM

Skywolf Philosopher: This is what I would have done if ever I lost my legs.

Everyone who's worked with him has said that he'd still be a runner if he'd been born with functioning legs.

/It's a shame they didn't let him compete four years ago, when he would have run the table in the track events.

TheMaskedArmadillo		2012-07-04 10:21:24 PM

Poignant subby. Very Poignant

tetsoushima		2012-07-04 10:22:43 PM

sexy

ongbok		2012-07-04 10:25:53 PM

Sudo_Make_Me_A_Sandwich: Poor little Tink Tink

Came here to say this, but since you beat me to it, I will leave you with the story of Poor Little Tink Tink.

Balchinian		2012-07-04 10:27:02 PM

The only objection I have to this man participating has nothing to do with the mechanical nature of his prosthetics. It is that he has no nerves with which to feel the pain other athletes feel, and suffer from, as a normal part of the competition. Overcoming physical discomfort, and even outright pain, is a huge part of athleticism...a part he is immune from experiencing while others are not. That is what gives him a significant physical advantage over the other competitors, and that IMO makes it less than fair.

debug		2012-07-04 10:28:47 PM

Sargun: doglover: Seems like a bad precedent. Prosthetics aren't muscles. They can't get tired. They can be lengthened. They can be optimized.

Props on the guy for shootin' for the moon, but they pinched a loaf over those body suits a few years ago. Mechanical legs seem much more advantageous.

If this guy had an advantage he wouldn't have missed his shot at the real event he was participating in and only gotten in on a technicality by participating on a relay team.

Unless he's just not really all that good to begin with and the magic legs bring him to a level where he can compete.

How is having lower legs, ankles and calves that never ever get tired not an advantage?

kevinatilusa		2012-07-04 10:29:07 PM

Sargun: doglover: Seems like a bad precedent. Prosthetics aren't muscles. They can't get tired. They can be lengthened. They can be optimized.

Props on the guy for shootin' for the moon, but they pinched a loaf over those body suits a few years ago. Mechanical legs seem much more advantageous.

If this guy had an advantage he wouldn't have missed his shot at the real event he was participating in and only gotten in on a technicality by participating on a relay team.

They bent the rules for that one too. He's competing in both events.

iron_city_ap		2012-07-04 10:29:58 PM

Good thing my Bugatti is a prosthetic leg.

expobill		2012-07-04 10:30:01 PM

too bad norf amaerica televisions won't televise this event because he is not norf amaericana.

ElLoco		2012-07-04 10:30:03 PM

debug: How is having lower legs, ankles and calves that never ever get tired not an advantage?

i2.ytimg.com

expobill		2012-07-04 10:31:06 PM

my wife has a prosthetic hymen

iron_city_ap		2012-07-04 10:31:46 PM

Dwight_Yeast: Skywolf Philosopher: This is what I would have done if ever I lost my legs.

Everyone who's worked with him has said that he'd still be a runner if he'd been born with functioning legs.

/It's a shame they didn't let him compete four years ago, when he would have run the table in the track events.

So would Steven Hawking. Where do you draw the line? It sets a horrible precident.

expobill		2012-07-04 10:32:23 PM

SharkTrager		2012-07-04 10:33:12 PM

Sargun: doglover: Seems like a bad precedent. Prosthetics aren't muscles. They can't get tired. They can be lengthened. They can be optimized.

Props on the guy for shootin' for the moon, but they pinched a loaf over those body suits a few years ago. Mechanical legs seem much more advantageous.

If this guy had an advantage he wouldn't have missed his shot at the real event he was participating in and only gotten in on a technicality by participating on a relay team.

If he runs faster with the prosthetic than he would have with actual legs, which is likely the case, he has an advantage. By your argument an athlete who uses steroids but still doesn't qualify for the Olympics hasn't actually cheated.

Satanic_Hamster		2012-07-04 10:34:50 PM

They let little Tink Tink in? Good for him, man.

ongbok		2012-07-04 10:36:45 PM

debug: Sargun: doglover: Seems like a bad precedent. Prosthetics aren't muscles. They can't get tired. They can be lengthened. They can be optimized.

Props on the guy for shootin' for the moon, but they pinched a loaf over those body suits a few years ago. Mechanical legs seem much more advantageous.

If this guy had an advantage he wouldn't have missed his shot at the real event he was participating in and only gotten in on a technicality by participating on a relay team.

Unless he's just not really all that good to begin with and the magic legs bring him to a level where he can compete.

How is having lower legs, ankles and calves that never ever get tired not an advantage?

What about his upper legs? Without having calve muscles to assist wouldn't they have to work twice as hard and thus take twice the strain as a runner with lower legs?

iron_city_ap		2012-07-04 10:37:10 PM

I should note that I have no issue if this guy runs a faster, slower, or equal time to other 'normal' runners. He has a distinct/unfair advantage. Heck, I think it would be cool if paralympic runners post faster times than olympic runners, but, they are different categories of atheletes.

phimuskapsi		2012-07-04 10:37:14 PM

It's not an advantage. While he doesn't have to worry about calf muscles cramping and so on, he DOES have to work harder to keep his balance. The traction is about equal to an athletic shoe. Now you act like not having these muscles is a hindrance but strong calves lead to explosive starts. I think it's awesome that he gets to compete.

gwydion56		2012-07-04 10:39:15 PM

expobill: my wife has a prosthetic hymen

I wondered why she never got tired...

ladyhawk		2012-07-04 10:40:29 PM

Balchinian: The only objection I have to this man participating has nothing to do with the mechanical nature of his prosthetics. It is that he has no nerves with which to feel the pain other athletes feel, and suffer from, as a normal part of the competition. Overcoming physical discomfort, and even outright pain, is a huge part of athleticism...a part he is immune from experiencing while others are not. That is what gives him a significant physical advantage over the other competitors, and that IMO makes it less than fair.

But he's an amputee, not a paraplegic. Why wouldn't he feel pain? I imagine his knees (or wherever the amputation was made) take quite a beating from running with the prosthesis. And I'm sure he has other normal (if you will) physical issues (hips, hamstrings, etc) that all athletes deal with.

And, on a more general note, check out these time comparisons I don't think his prostheses make him Super Runner, just a competitive one.

dennysgod		2012-07-04 10:41:05 PM

PluckYew		2012-07-04 10:41:16 PM

Dwight_Yeast: Skywolf Philosopher: This is what I would have done if ever I lost my legs.

Everyone who's worked with him has said that he'd still be a runner if he'd been born with functioning legs.

/It's a shame they didn't let him compete four years ago, when he would have run the table in the track events.

Wikipedia is the source so standard disclaimer applies

expobill		2012-07-04 10:41:21 PM

gwydion56: expobill: my wife has a prosthetic hymen

I wondered why she never got tired...

she switched to those bloody radials

lohphat		2012-07-04 10:41:46 PM

My cousin lost his legs below the knees due to sever burns from an auto accident two years ago. It's been a very painful rehab process due to scarring and Myositis Ossificans (Heterotopic Bone Formation) and a subsequent fracture along from his wheelchair.

His stumps can't support the weight n the end so the cuff has to and the pressure is very uncomfortable. He can walk a few hundred feet on his own artificial legs but then has to sit to let the pain subside. Watching the process since the accident s fascinating and heartbreaking.

I can't imagine him even coming close to running.

I too am shocked how this s considered fair competition. In another story of a wrestler missing a leg competing, I too joined the detractors saying he was missing grappling points for his opponents to use and his center of gravity is much different. He was also in the wrong weight class. He was fighting much smaller people with smaller upper bodies simply because without legs he could be put into a lower class.

I'm all for equal opportunity to compete but there needs to be a level playing field of ability, strength, physiology, and chemistry. E.g. If you want to take drugs to enhance performance then creat a new competition class, don't try to claim you're being fair competing against others who don't.

expobill		2012-07-04 10:42:10 PM

phimuskapsi: It's not an advantage. While he doesn't have to worry about calf muscles cramping and so on, he DOES have to work harder to keep his balance. The traction is about equal to an athletic shoe. Now you act like not having these muscles is a hindrance but strong calves lead to explosive starts. I think it's awesome that he gets to compete.

i miss Hiƒler too!

expobill		2012-07-04 10:43:53 PM

lohphat: My cousin lost his legs .
sorry to hear that, i hope your cousin gets better and enjoys life.

Zoomaster		2012-07-04 10:44:02 PM

Running on springs is cheating

/try a jet pack next

PluckYew		2012-07-04 10:46:48 PM

PluckYew: Dwight_Yeast: Skywolf Philosopher: This is what I would have done if ever I lost my legs.

Everyone who's worked with him has said that he'd still be a runner if he'd been born with functioning legs.

/It's a shame they didn't let him compete four years ago, when he would have run the table in the track events.

Wikipedia is the source so standard disclaimer applies

Always preview dumbass

Link Scroll down, he missed the Olympic "B" qualifier by .7 seconds.

Also his prosthesis look like leaf springs to me, not saying he's cheating but it wouldn't be too difficult to change the components in his blade and unless the IOC is going to impound his legs after the race he will get away with it.

I feel bad because his condition is genetic but that's life we don't always roll a 7, he's doing the best he can with what he has and that is admirable. He should only be a paralympian

PluckYew		2012-07-04 10:47:46 PM

expobill: bob
matt
art
cliff
ben
bill
irene
ilene
stan
phil
and igor

Eileen's half sister Peg

retarded		2012-07-04 10:48:37 PM

Props to the guy for his obvious dedication and sheer tyranny of will to overcome and make the goddamn Olympic team, that is impressive. Pretty sure if I was a double amputee I'd have to dedicate myself to not putting a pistol in my mouth on a daily basis.

I do think he has an unfair advantage though. When other competitors can get an asterisk for wind-aided times, or disqualified for performance enhancing drugs, I'm pretty sure his opponents won't feel it's a fair fight especially if they are getting a view of his backside during the race.

Also, reminds me of this fantastic book, Machine Man, which I think now deserves a re-read. Highly recommended for anyone interested in self-tinkering.

Sudo_Make_Me_A_Sandwich		2012-07-04 10:48:46 PM

SharkTrager: If he runs faster with the prosthetic than he would have with actual legs, which is likely the case, he has an advantage.

People have all sorts of advantages when it comes to the Olympics: they have good genes, they come from countries which have world-class training facilities, they come from families which were affluent enough to afford fencing or Judo or cross-country skiing lessons.

He might run slightly faster with the prosthetic legs to replace the legs he was born without than he would if he had been born with legs. He might run faster if he was born with slightly better genes. It's all pretty arbitrary. In the end, the prosthetic legs are a reasonable accommodation. It's not putting a jet engine on Steven Hawking's chair. Even with the legs, he's not able to beat the world's fastest runners.

If people with natural legs were no longer able to compete, or people were starting to amputate legs to compete better, it would be different. But that's not happen, nor likely to happen with the prosthetic legs that were approved for him to use. So, you know, let the dude run.

Rodrigo Hernandez		2012-07-04 10:50:21 PM

Thanks for giving us the answer subby. Otherwise I would have been stumped.

Dwight_Yeast		2012-07-04 10:51:26 PM

iron_city_ap: So would Steven Hawking. Where do you draw the line?

That doesn't make the slightest farking sense.

iron_city_ap: He has a distinct/unfair advantage.

You don't have even a rudimentary understanding of human anatomy, do you?

Because he has no muscles below his knees, he has to run propelling himself with his thighs and glutes alone. Whatever "advantage" he gets from not having lower legs or feet is lost because... he doesn't have lower legs or feet.

AverageAmericanGuy		2012-07-04 10:53:31 PM

Dwight_Yeast: he doesn't have lower legs or feet.

So he would make a really great paralympian.

lohphat		2012-07-04 10:56:19 PM

Dwight_Yeast:

Because he has no muscles below his knees, he has to run propelling himself with his thighs and glutes alone. Whatever "advantage" he gets from not having lower legs or feet is lost because... he doesn't have lower legs or feet.

In their place he has light-weight mechanical springs that don't fatigue.

Totally fair.

Dwight_Yeast		2012-07-04 10:56:51 PM

PluckYew: Also his prosthesis look like leaf springs to me, not saying he's cheating but it wouldn't be too difficult to change the components in his blade and unless the IOC is going to impound his legs after the race he will get away with it.

Read paragraph 2 of his Wiki page:

The same year, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) amended its competition rules to ban the use of "any technical device that incorporates springs, wheels or any other element that provides a user with an advantage over another athlete not using such a device". The federation claimed that the amendment was not specifically aimed at Pistorius. After monitoring his track performances and carrying out tests, scientists took the view that Pistorius enjoyed considerable advantages over athletes without prosthetic limbs. On the strength of these findings, on 14 January 2008 the IAAF ruled him ineligible for competitions conducted under its rules, including the 2008 Summer Olympics.

The IAAF didn't want him to compete and spent the entire run-up to the 2008 Olympics dicking him around.

SharkTrager		2012-07-04 10:59:04 PM

ongbok: debug: Sargun: doglover: Seems like a bad precedent. Prosthetics aren't muscles. They can't get tired. They can be lengthened. They can be optimized.

Props on the guy for shootin' for the moon, but they pinched a loaf over those body suits a few years ago. Mechanical legs seem much more advantageous.

If this guy had an advantage he wouldn't have missed his shot at the real event he was participating in and only gotten in on a technicality by participating on a relay team.

Unless he's just not really all that good to begin with and the magic legs bring him to a level where he can compete.

How is having lower legs, ankles and calves that never ever get tired not an advantage?

What about his upper legs? Without having calve muscles to assist wouldn't they have to work twice as hard and thus take twice the strain as a runner with lower legs?

No. The blades serve all those functions, and do so better, and more efficiently, than calves. Further, they weigh less.

If the same benefits were available in shoes it is unlikely they would be allowed.