Paralympic diary: Oscar Pistorius shows his comical side

Oscar Pistorius has already made his way into the record books by qualifying for the Olympics but his upcoming Paralympic exploits have now made their way into the comic books, or more appropriately The Beano. The South African athlete, though, has been renamed Oscar Victorius in the comic, which has previously featured British Olympic champion Jessica Ennis following her success in the heptathlon earlier this month. ‘Victorius’ joins the likes of Dennis the Menace and Gnasher, who bites off the shorts of one of his track rivals. Editor Mike Stirling said: “When people told Oscar he couldn’t be an athlete due to his disability, he ignored them and, in that respect, he’s just like Dennis, who never does as he is told.”

Two of Pistorius’ key rivals for gold in the 100m are American Jerome Singleton and British teenage sprinter Jonnie Peacock. Singleton holds one advantage over the pair before they take to the startline in that he studied physics so he could master the use of his prosthetic leg. Singleton explained: “I took mathematics and applied physics so I could learn more about myself. So I read about walking and running limbs. Now I can go out and change someone’s perceptions on life in 10 to 11 seconds.”

Judging by their golden start to the Games, Great Britain don’t need luck in their armoury but the equestrian team’s superstitions make interesting reading. Deb Criddle (right) likes to carry a lucky penny with her whenever she competes, which she was given to her as a good-luck charm by her mother. She also wears a golden horseshoe pendant. Sophie Christiansen likes to wear a pair of Union Jack socks when in action, the same pair in which she won bronze at the Paralympics in Athens. And Lee Pearson, with nine golds to his name? Well, he claims: “I don’t need luck.”

Swimmer Sebastian Rodriguez might not be recognised in London but, back in Spain, he is well known as he clinched his 13th Paralympic medal in the S5 50m freestyle last night. Perhaps more attention grabbing than the swimmer’s exploits in the pool is his incredible past. Rodriguez was sentenced to 84 years in prison in 1985 following his part in the murder of a Spanish businessman. He later lost both his legs while going on hunger strike in prison for 432 days and in 1994 was paroled under a Spanish law which says the seriously ill should not be kept in prison. He later received a government pardon in 2007.