Oscar Pistorius

What's possible in athletics? Oscar Pistorius, the double-amputee sprinter from South Africa, and his effort to compete against able-bodied runners in the 400-m and 4x400-m sprint events at the 2012 London Olympics, make the answer clear: absolutely anything. Even when the running establishment — convinced his blades provided an advantage — tried to confine Pistorius to the Paralympics, he kept pushing his limits and the limits of the human body. Now he's won the right to compete against the world's best. He is the definition of global inspiration.

Gregory is TIME's sports columnist

• 
• Click to Print

• Find this article at:
• https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2111975_2111976_2112134,00.html