Though his star has never shone brighter, Oscar Pistorius could be about to propel himself to new heights over the next year.
The “Blade Runner”, as he is universally known, has shattered boundaries with his running exploits, and 2012 looms as quite possibly the biggest year of his career.
Far from being satisfied at being a highly successful disabled athlete, he has enabled athletes of his ilk to gain more respect.
And with his success on the track, he has also attracted the attentions of rivals looking over their shoulders.
It must be remembered that while Pistorius was holding court, ruling the Paralympic arena for years, able-bodied athletes and influential figures within athletics were only too happy to laud his achievements. He was a safe distance away.
Now that he has entered their domain, the questions are starting to come out.
Does Pistorius have an unfair advantage? Should he be allowed to compete? Is he a distraction?
Having met the requirements to qualify for last year’s World Championships, Pistorius has let his legs do the talking. He was a phenomenon and now the world waits to see if he can meet the stipulations that will see him book a place in London.
“I think qualifying for the Olympics would be very special. It’s actually an understatement to say that, because I saw first-hand in South Africa what hosting a major event can do for a country,” he told the Laureus website this week.
Should he deliver – and with the qualifying time set at 45.30, compared to 45.25 for last year’s Championships – Pistorius may see his earning potential rise exponentially.
Currently, he earns about R20 million, with the likes of Nike cottoning on to his ability to be a star against the odds.
Should he again hold a starring role in London, his pulling power could go off the charts.
But he is uncomfortable with his celebrity. Currently in Italy, where he is participating in a Strictly Come Dancing event, Pistorius said becoming recognisable took some getting used to.
“I wouldn’t say fame is something that I have necessarily enjoyed over the last few years, and I think it will still take some getting used to,” he admitted.
Not only are the London Olympics in his sights, Pistorius has been nominated in two categories at the prestigious Laureus World Sport Awards, which will be held in London on Monday night.
He is up for the Best Athlete with a Disability, as well as the Breakthrough of the Year gong, where he will vie with the likes of golfer Rory McIlroy, sprinter Yohan Blake and tennis star Petra Kvitova.
“It’s a pretty humbling experience, because when you look at the sportsmen and women that I am competing against, I am just privileged to be among them,” he explained.
Dubbed the “Sport Oscars”, the Laureus Awards will see the proverbial who’s who of sport converging on London.
And Pistorius’s is a name that is on many, high-profile lips.
“What Oscar has done for the sport is amazing,” Lord Sebastian Coe, who is the central figure in the London Games, as well as a Laureus Foundation member, said recently.
As a Laureus ambassador himself, Pistorius visited Tanzania recently.
He said he was touched by the reaction that he was afforded by the kids there.
“A lot of them didn’t know who I was and they were looking at my legs,” he said.
“I told one of them that he could feel them if he wanted to, and pretty soon after that there were about 20 kids around me.
“One of them even felt my arm and I told him that was definitely real,” he laughed.
If he makes good on all his goals over the next few months, the “Blade Runner” could also be pinching himself come year end. – Sunday Tribune