Amputee Advances to 400m Semis

The South African runner Oscar Pistorius, who has both legs amputated at the knee, prevailed in a preliminary heat at the Olympic stadium Saturday. With a time of 45.44, Pistorius will advance to the semifinals of the men's 400m. This achievement will likely throw new focus on the yearlong controversy that his success has sparked; some say that the athlete, who uses carbon-fiber prosthetic blades to run, has an unfair advantage. Pistorius was born without fibulas, and heads into the semifinals an underdog—but one with a large cheering section.