Oscar Pistorius, one of the most talked about Paralympians of all time, has finally been beaten over 100m by American sprinter Jerome Singleton at the IPC Athletics World Championships in New Zealand.
The South African runner had not lost a 100m race since the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games but was forced into second place after a photo finish showed Singleton had one by hairs breadth.
All seven finishers in the T44 race clocked under 12 seconds for the first time ever, including 17-year-old Briton Jonnie Peacock who has racing in his first senior championship.
In what was one of the tightest races in Paralympic history, first and fourth was separated by just 0.09 seconds.
The tense atmosphere at the start of the race was stretched even further when American Jim Bob Bizzell was disqualified for a false start.
When the race did get underway it was Singleton who made the better start but Pistorius quickly came back at the American in what was a carbon copy of the Paralympic Games final in 2008.
However, unlike the Beijing Games, which Pistorius won by 0.03 seconds, it was Singleton who managed to hold on and claim the decision after a photo finish.
Despite the two runners both clocking the same time of 11.33 seconds, it was Singleton who was awarded the decision to take Pistorius's world title.
The contest for third place was just as close with Brazilian Alan Fonteles Cardoso Oliveira being awarded the decision in a photo finish with South African Arn Fourie.
Click the following link to read our exclusive interview with Oscar Pistorius - www.sportsvibe.co.uk/blade-runner-has-olympics-in-his-sights/
