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See the original image at telegraph.co.uk

Swimmer with Just One Leg Qualifies for the Olympics

telegraph.co.uk — South African amputee Du Toit made Beijing by finishing fourth in Sunday's 10km world championships in Seville. Britons Cassandra Patten and Keri-Anne Payne also qualified for the open water events at the Olympics.

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  • NachoBusiness, on 05/16/2008, -8/+17Man, I probably couldn't swim 10km in any length of time and I am able-bodied. This is an awesome accomplishment.

    I'm just surprised the IOC hasn't tried to claim she has a competitive advantage from the few pounds of weight her amputation shaves off... they tried this with the double amputee sprinter.
    • abadonn, on 05/16/2008, -0/+15The double amputee sprinter also had titanium legs helping him run.
      • PhattyPhattMatt, on 05/16/2008, -2/+1Mirror?
      • Jambi, on 05/16/2008, -1/+1On the other hand, lacking the surface area of a second foot to be able to swim more easily likely makes up for the lower weight.
    • mindsnare, on 05/16/2008, -0/+14slightly different situation with the double amputee sprinter, he was using carbon fibre spring based legs which did give him an advantage off the line. This one is different, even if you do factor in the weight, she still has a disadvantage because she has less kicking power.
      • lintmonkey, on 05/16/2008, -1/+1<sarc>
        ...but less surface area, and thus less resistance. Cheater.
        </sarc>
    • Grumpicus, on 05/16/2008, -0/+7I'll agree with your first paragraph but the second is misleading.

      1) It wasn't the IOC, but the IAAF that was trying to keep Pistorius out of Beijing.
      2) The argument had very little to due with the amputation itself and was completely about the technology of his prosthetics and whether or not they actually gave him an advantage.
      More info here: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/15/sports/otherspor ...

      3) "In a unanimous ruling, the Court of Arbitration for Sport announced [today] that double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius will have a chance to represent South Africa at the Beijing Olympics this summer."
      http://www.cbc.ca/sportsnews/story/2008/05/16/pist ...
      • supermanred, on 05/16/2008, -0/+1That's stupid if they let ***** tension spring legs compete at the Olympics.

        Maybe Canada should build some athelets of our own to cheat our way to Olympic gold... I can see it now, cyborglympics here we come.
  • etaubeneck, on 05/16/2008, -20/+6she's going to get her ass handed to her in Beijing
    • tahcoboy, on 05/16/2008, -0/+1id like to see you even swim half that length
  • Totz83, on 05/16/2008, -6/+5This is a wonderful story, good look to her!
  • scottfarner, on 05/16/2008, -11/+6Big deal. Swimmers with three legs qualify all the time:p
  • vanguardanon, on 05/16/2008, -2/+35I was a competitive swimmer in high school and college. I swam against two different people with one leg and they actually weren't as bad as you might guess. It was the starts and turns that killed them. I can see how in open water a one legged swimmer would be competitive. FWIW, in distance swimming you don't kick. The speed you get isn't worth the energy it takes. Kicking is for sprinters.
    • Mononuclear, on 05/16/2008, -0/+6Exactly. Kicking uses up a very large percentage of oxygen and only provides a small percentage of propulsion. Having one leg or even no legs at all is actually an advantage in distance swimming except for the starts and turns like you said which makes open water that much better for someone like this.
    • codeninja42, on 05/16/2008, -1/+3The legs are super important in log distance! What's this "you don't kick" business. Liary. The legs are important in long distance and those who don't take advantage of their legs lose. They give you propulsion, make your stroke more efficient by leveling it out; compensate for the weight of your legs; compensate for the dips in the water, keep your back straight, as well as giveyour arms a bit of a break when they get tired and so much more. She must have strong arms and a very unique and extremely well trained stroke to make up for all the advantages the other leg would have gotten her.

      btw. I'm a Afrikaner too! Can't wait to see her compete!
    • UGM2099, on 05/16/2008, -0/+1It's a natural thing to make up for weak or absent legs. I was a swimmer with a weak kick but I was able to swim butterfly without kicking (even with a pull buoy on).
      • yeahgoggletan, on 05/19/2008, -0/+0how the hell?
        undulation causes you to make a kicking motion.
        you do kick
  • fulibs, on 05/16/2008, -4/+15Nobody likes a showoff!
  • DiggOrNotToDigg, on 05/16/2008, -3/+4Inspirational
  • witchywoman53, on 05/16/2008, -3/+3What a wonderful accomplishment for her.....great story...
  • Obzerva, on 05/16/2008, -9/+6That's cheating! She totally can swim faster cause she weighs less without a leg! ...jk
  • fhernand, on 05/16/2008, -7/+1she is evolving
    • JeffSpicoli, on 05/16/2008, -0/+5....or adapting, and quite well.
  • buffyangel108, on 05/16/2008, -3/+5Aerial?

    Joking apart, this is a wonderful achievement - huge congrats to the girl.
  • PhattyPhattMatt, on 05/16/2008, -1/+6I am glad that the part about tasting the Duck Poo got into the article, it made it a well rounded article covering all angles of the story...
  • freezerburn666, on 05/16/2008, -10/+5isn't this what the special Olympics are for? i'd feel pretty awful going up against someone with one leg. especially if i lost...
    • Rendonsmug, on 05/16/2008, -0/+4Yeah, have fun at your special Olympics.
  • MuffinPatrol, on 05/16/2008, -6/+2If she qualified for the 100 meter sprint then i would be impressed.
  • howyoudosir, on 05/16/2008, -18/+2Is this a joke? There's a "Special Olympics" for "Special People". I know - shocking.
  • TexasShiv, on 05/16/2008, -3/+8It's said she will swim in circles
  • amdforever, on 05/16/2008, -8/+3Wait, that picture is a "SHE" ?
    • supermanred, on 05/16/2008, -0/+1Man some of you Digg users are really socially inept.

      Yes, that is a woman. Ask your dad to explain the differences.
  • wild, on 05/16/2008, -1/+22"I'd give my left leg to be an Olympian..."
  • BXRWXR, on 05/16/2008, -1/+8Lighten up people, she just wants to be one of the buoys.
  • Carlix, on 05/16/2008, -5/+6Free Tibet!
  • cbegin, on 05/16/2008, -3/+2"That's one way to get a leg up on the competition."
  • Dylson, on 05/16/2008, -1/+1Cool.
  • matthewjosephm, on 05/16/2008, -1/+6Inaccurate title. She totally has 1.5 legs.
  • Barakolypse, on 05/16/2008, -2/+0Now that's what I call a sticky situation.

    Whoops this wasn't able semen or glue.
  • warkwark, on 05/16/2008, -3/+1Pfft. Freak.
  • delcofiftyfive, on 05/16/2008, -2/+3That's not fair to the other swimmers. They have to swim with both legs. That's CHEATING!
  • dtr18c, on 05/16/2008, -4/+2I bet the person that got beat by a one legged swimmer feels like a failure.
  • kolop1, on 05/16/2008, -0/+2I hear he can swim circles around the competition. Literally.
  • cgruber, on 05/16/2008, -0/+1With or without the outboard attachment? Just kidding sensitive diggers I'm sure I drowned after 3 minutes.
    • Greengoo, on 05/16/2008, -0/+0The mental image this gave me was priceless... VAROOOOM!
  • nomadbea, on 05/16/2008, -0/+1It's great to see what people can achieve through guts and effort.
  • TheBogie, on 05/16/2008, -3/+1She would get pwned if butt-kicking were an olympic sport.
  • TheBigSquid, on 05/16/2008, -2/+1I think if you swim well and only have one leg then it shouldn't be considered a leg but a flipper.
  • sq2shooter, on 05/16/2008, -1/+2I predict she misses winning a gold by 1 foot.
  • kineticarl, on 05/16/2008, -0/+3I can't find any results. what was her time, and how far back from the winner was she?
  • mtw007, on 05/17/2008, -0/+0haha everybody needs to watch Season 2 Episode 1 of new American Gladiators. One legged guy in the second half. Classic.
  • ceris, on 05/17/2008, -0/+1Legless swimmers, footless runners.. How ***** are the other Olympic athletes this year?
  • Codee, on 05/22/2008, -0/+1That's just kickass. Well, no offense, you know what I meant.
  •  

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