By Tom Degun in Christchurch

Oscar_Pistorius_wins_4x100m_relay_Christchurch_January_29_2011January 29 - South African Oscar Pistorius stole the show on day eight of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships as he emphatically bounced back from his 100m T44 defeat at the hands of American Jerome Singleton by storming past his great rival to claim victory for South Africa in the men's 4x400 metres relay T53/54 final.


After Pistorius cruised to victory in the 400m T44 final in the morning session of the day against a relatively weak field in a Championship record of 48.37sec, the stage at the QE II Stadium here was set for another classic encounter as Pistorius and Singleton both lined up to anchor their countries home.

The two 24-year-olds did not disappoint.

Singleton received the baton ahead of the Pistorius and appeared likely to claim a relatively easy victory over the South African before the blade runner produced a blistering last 20 metres to somehow claw back the American and sneak past him on the line.

The victory saw South Africa claim gold in a championship record of 42.80 with the United States taking silver in 42.84 and Brazil claiming bronze.

Pistorius told insideworldparasport: "It's been a great Championships for me to claim three golds and a silver.

"I would have loved to claim a fourth gold and it was a shame to miss out on it by inches in the 100m so I knew I wouldn't let it happen again.

"I said to the team to give me the baton within a metre or two of Jerome and I told them that even if he is ahead of me, I was going to seek revenge.

"It crossed my mind as I was catching him that I wasn't going to lose in a photo finish again.

"That victory shows me and him that I am quicker than him in the top speed stuff.

"Jerome is a fantastic athlete and deserved his 100m victory but he was ahead when he got the baton and I still got him back.

"It is not just about me though, I am part of a fantastic team and I'm very fortunate to be."

Tatyana_McFadden_receives_gold_medal_Christchurch_January_29_2011In some of day eight's other highlights; America's Tatyana McFadden (pictured) could not have been more impressive in totally dominating the women's 400m T54 field to win by more than two seconds in 54.88 from Canadian Diane Roy and Switzerland's Manuela Schaer.

It was her fourth gold of the championships after victories in the 200m, 800m and 1500m to go with a bronze she took in the 100m.

"It has been and amazing competition for me and the plan now is to keep working hard to replicate this in London in 2012," she told insideworldparasport.

In the women's discus F51/52/53, F51 star Catherine Wayland of Ireland claimed victory with a throw of 5.89m.

Silver went to fellow F51 competitor Zena Cole of the United States with a throw of 4.79m.

Meanwhile, Mexico's F53 star  Estela Salas picked up the bronze in her seprate F53 disability category as she threw 12.08mm further in metres than the gold and silver medallists but not when the disability classification differences are registered in the respective throws.

"It is a very special feeling to win gold for Ireland and I'm very, very happy," said Wayland.

Overall it was another high quality one which saw five world records fall.

In the first event of the day, Mariia Pomazan claimed the world record in the women's discus throw F35/F36 with a throw of 28.73m to take victory ahead of silver medallist Katherine Proudfoot of Australia and bronze medallist Alla Malchyk of Ukraine.

In the men's javelin throw F13, it was F12 athlete Chih-Chung Chiang of Taipei who won gold in 61.90m but she was upstaged by silver medallist Liravi Se Hosseini of Iran who broke the F13 world record with a throw of 61.48m.

Milos Grlica of Serbia took bronze in 60.81m.

In the men's 400m T38, Tunisia's Mohamed Farhat Chida claimed gold and a world record of 49.33 to see off fellow podium finishers Evan O'Hanlon and his Australian compatriot Tim Sullivan respectively while in the women's discus throw F57/58 Algeria's Nassima Saifi took gold and the world record with a throw of 40.99m.

The final world record of the day fell as Jeffery Ige of Sweden took gold in the men's shot put F20 with a throw of 13.75m.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
January 2011: Pistorious suffers first 100m defeat for seven years
January 2011: Pistorius the king of the QE II Stadium as he retains World Championship crown
January 2011: Pistorious: I'm not untouchable – not by a long shot
January 2011: Fiona Pickering - We'll be on the edge of our seats as Oscar winning drama unfolds