Reflections

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Hello fellow friends, as we have come to an end I want to thank you all for reading these past few weeks. I've learned a lot about blogging and Oscar throughout this process. Though there were many challenges, I found many rewards that came along with this blogging process.
While researching I didn't really know how Oscar had lost his legs. I expected there to be a bloody or horrific tragedy that came along with it. Then finding out that he had been born with an absence of fibulae in both his left and his right legs when he was 11 months old, was very surprising.
I also found how he began running very interesting. I went into this process thinking that Oscar had been running his life, only to find out that he first started running when he was 16 after shattering his knee participating in high school rugby, in June of 2003.
Throughout this blogging experience I came across many difficulties including the difficulty that came with researching. I found researching very frustrating when not being able to find the credentials I needed to meet the standards of the particular post.  
I also found difficulty in figuring out how to exactly use a blog. I guess if you've used a blog in the past you could say its easy, but never using a blog before it was a little frustrating when trying to figure out how to post posts, and use hyperlinks.
While blogging I had the opportunity to do a lot of exploring, not only on Oscar but also on the blog itself. I ended up learning a lot while on this journey, it was very rewarding. I learned how to use a blog and be able to communicate with people in that way. But I also learned a lot more about Oscar than I originally expected; from his family life, to his running career, to how he has been able to make it as far as he has.
1 other thing I found rewarding was the freedom to kind of branch off for a while from what everyone else was doing and be treated like adults. Being given an assignment and a deadline and having it be due by that deadline.
Again I wish to thank you all for keeping up with me in my adventure of blogging. I hope you enjoyed and found Oscar Pistorius as interesting as I, myself, did.

The Best Of...

https://www.google.com/search?q=oscar+pistorius+top+100+most+influential+men&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=NtrIUJGiD9PE2QWpp4Fg&biw=1024&bih=672&sei=ONrIULrYN-XE2gXxgYGwBA#biv=i|2;d|GJSIEYogSAhTrM:

As my Oscar blogging is slowly coming to an end, I would like to finish strong by sharing some of what I think are Oscars greatest accomplishments.

5.) After recovering from his rugby injury Pistorius ran his first competitive 100m race January 28, 2004 for Pretor La Boys High School in a time of 11.72 seconds. After the race his father looked up how Oscars time compared to the best in the world. Henk, Oscars father, discovered that his 17-year-old sons time was faster than the existing Paralympic world record of 20.20 seconds. (1)

http://www.oscarpistorius.com/about (1)

4.) invited by family friend Chris Hatting, June of 2004, to the United States got the opportunity to trial Össur Manufactured Flex Foot Cheetahs for the first time. After training the feet he was given his very own pair, and 8 months later stepping on the track.

http://www.littlegatepublishing.com/2012/06/oscar-pistorius-record-breaker/

3.) May of 2008 Oscar was nominated as being 1 of 100 men chosen as being Time Magazines top 100 most influential people in the world. Oscar having the opportunity as being listed as 3rd in the heroes and pioneers list.

http://www.ossur.com/?PageID=13032&NewsID=2253

2.) February 6 of 2012 Oscar was awarded the Laureus award for athlete with a disability. Receiving the award Pistorius said, "This is just a great privilege to be nominated, it is really humbling to be here. To all the Laureus Academy Members, all you guys and icons who a lot of us still competing look up to, thank you very much." (2)

http://www.2oceansvibe.com/2012/02/07/oscar-pistorius-wins-2012-laureus-world-award/ (2)

1.) Being honored with the privilege to compete in the 2012 London summer Olympics, Oscar Pistorius jumped on his opportunity. Running in the 400m dash he took second with a time of 45.44s qualifying him for semifinals. During semifinals, Oscar had an unfortunate loss of 8th place running in with a time of 46.54s. Oscar stated with a positive attitude "Its one thing being here and another thing performing here...My aim was to make the semifinals. Its a dream come true."(3)

http://www.oscarpistorius.com/news/1285-oscar-makes-history-at-london-2012-olympic-games (3)

http://www.oscarpistorius.com/about/timeline

What an amazing life Oscar has lived so far in 25 years. His list of accomplishments could go on and on and I'm sure it will continue to due so but I hope you've enjoyed this post and hopefully find it as inspiring as I did.

Olympics

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Not as fast, strong, or dedicated to running as Oscar Pistorius, I myself have always been a runner. Growing up chasing my siblings around the house, to participating in soccer and basketball as a young kid. One of the biggest questions tossed around during this summer’s 2012 Olympic games in London was whether or not to let amputee, Oscar Pistorius run in the 400m due to an aroused argument of whether he would have had an unfair advantage from his carbon-fiber blades.
After doing some research I came across two credible sources, taking opposite sides on this question. One from ESPN summer Olympics and one from Huffington posts, comparing and contrasting the pros and cons of both sides of this courageous story.
According to ESPN summer Olympics Oscar had every right to compete in the 2012 Olympics, which one might agree. While his selection to run in the 400m dash was likely, it was only a last minute surprise by South African sports officials that gave Pistorius the opportunity to run in his specialty event at the Olympic games. South Africans Olympic committee and national track federation decided to clear Pistorius for the 400m at the London Olympic games on his carbon-fiber blades.
On the contrary Huffington post brought up some reasonable statistics. Muscle tendon units are viscoelastic demonstrating both vicous and elastic properties when subjected to deformation. The more viscous a material may be, the harder it is to move. Carbon-fiber prosthetics act more like akin to something that is elastic, demonstrating faster recoil. In other words, when stretched or when force is applied it returns back to its original state much quicker than muscle.
In my opinion I believe Oscar Pistorius is hard working and dedicated. He battled his way through life and fought his way through the press and haters, and pulled out a great 2nd place during the preliminaries. He deserved every right to be there at the 2012 summer Olympics held in London.


http://espn.go.com/olympics/summer/2012/trackandfield/story/_/id/8129325/olympics-2012-south-african-double-amputee-oscar-pistorius-run-400m
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rami-hashish/oscar-pistorius-prosthetic-legs-advantage_b_1766417.html