‘Bring Olympic and Paralympic Games to SA’

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 28: Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius of South Africa smiles during a press conference ahead of the London 2012 Paralympic Games on August 28, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 28: Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius of South Africa smiles during a press conference ahead of the London 2012 Paralympic Games on August 28, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Published Aug 29, 2012

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London - Oscar Pistorius has called for South Africa to bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Pistorius, who will start his third Paralympics this weekend, said in an interview with the Virgin Active Sports Industry Awards yesterday that he believed that South Africa had the ability to hold the world’s two biggest sporting events.

“We’ve had the Rugby World Cup in 1995, the Cricket World Cup in 2003 and the football in 2010, and we’ve shown that we can host phenomenal international competitions,” he said.

“The Olympics is definitely the missing one in that impressive collection, so I think if we could host it that would be great. I know that they’ve been talking about it in Durban and it would be the right city for that. I guess I’m a little bit bitter that it won’t be in my career as an athlete! But I’ll definitely support that as much as I can.”

It has been suggested that South Africa should bid for the 2024 Games on the back of the success of the 2010 World Cup among other the many other events. The government has said it would not pursue the Olympics, but it is understood that there may be a change of heart in some officials, with Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula apparently in favour of it.

“We’re very good with sport, but the sports that we’ve got are mostly team sports. I think sometimes the facilities we have are not up to world standard and that’s often where we need to be realistic with the individual sports,” said Pistorius.

“In a country like France, just in Paris they’ve got 22 Mondo tracks, which is the international surface we run on; I think we’ve got one in South Africa.

“So there are a lot of facilities that we really need across the spectrum.”

Pistorius will be going for four medals at the Olympics, and while he is favourite to win the 200m and 400m, his chances in the 100m and 4x100m relay are a not as sure. The SA team are expected to bring home about 30 medals, with predictions of 40 being made.

“We’ve got a phenomenal Paralympic team, and to be part of this team for the third time is a blessing,” he said.

“In London I think it’s going to be quite a special Paralympic Games - one like we’ve never seen before. The reach that this Paralympic Games is going to have is going to be far more impactful than in previous years and to be part of Team South Africa and to be able to represent my country in the four events that we’ve managed to qualify for is going to be quite a big feat. I’m looking forward to it. I think it should be a phenomenal experience.”

Meanwhile, when he finishes at these Paralympics, Pistorius will take off his carbon fibre blades, prop up the feet of his regular prosthetics and take a well-earned break.

“Maybe we’ll send him to Namibia for a little bit, or somewhere he can do something else apart from train, and enjoy himself,” said Ampie Louw, who was the man who convinced, or rather conned, Pistorius into becoming a Paralympic athlete.

Just over eight years ago Pistorius went to Louw with the aim of rehabilitating himself from a knee injury so that he could play rugby again. Louw saw a young 17-year-old with talent and speed to burn, and put in place a plan to make the Pistorius the most famous disabled athlete in the world.

“It’s been an amazing eight years. These are my third Games. I’ve got a lot to thank my coach for,” said Pistorius on Tuesday.

The Star

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