South African double amputee, Oscar Pistorius, on the road to the Olympics!

Born without lower leg bones (fibulae) baby Oscar Pistorius, known by many as, 'The Blade Runner', had both of his legs amputated from below the knee at the tiny age of 11 months.

This young man, now 24 years old, was never one to stand back and let others lead, has since an early age held active positions in sport. Active in tennis and rugby at school it was only after a rugby injury that Oscar began running as part of a way to help himself after a rugby injury. The year 2004.

Often having to put up with questions such as disabled or too-abled Oscar has never professed to be anything other than a dedicated athlete.

Yesterday, in Lignano Italy, Oscar led the field to win the 400m race and achieved his personal best, an amazing time of 45.07 seconds improving on his previous best time by just under 30 seconds.

Looking forward to competing in the World Championships in South Korea next month, with a positive attitude of repeating his success, Oscar needs to aim at running 45.25 seconds twice in the next season to enable him to be eligible for the honour of competing in the 2012 London Olympics.

Should this hard worked for dream materialise Oscar Pistorius will become the first amputee athlete to run with able-bodied athletes in a World Championship Games.

" That brings me to yesterday afternoon, another lazy, hazy (my mind) day comfortably parked in my large armchair watching the Para Olympics. Most interesting, and as I watched Oscar Pistorius, it occurred to me that there is something almost faun like in his movements as he runs. So to my dictionaries I wandered to look up a bit on fauns, must admit I did not find much, just the basics “a lusty God like creature …….”. Then when I thought back to earlier years and my dealings with fauns, I realized that Oscar was more like my friends of old than what the dictionary wanted me to believe. Oscar shows a gaiety in his steps and moulds so well to the surface, almost like a tree creature, rooted but able to move. There is an ancient energy in his movements, as if all are performed with great glee. Somehow, when I think back to watching him running, all the old world words and memories seem to come to mind. He certainly does seem to have super abilities that place him in his own category.

I feel I need to start watching a bit more sport to see if it brings to mind any other friends from childhood days. I hope so. Living in myth and fable is so pleasurable and makes the odd visits back to Earth much more manageable.

From 'Country Life' in the book 'Sleeping on Marshmallows' and dedicated to Oscar.