September 09, 2008	Tuesday	Ramazan 8, 1429

BEIJING, Sept 8: China climbed to the top of the Paralympics medals table on Monday as “Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius prepared to make his debut and high-profile Olympian Natalie du Toit aimed for her second gold.

Pistorius, South Africa’s double amputee track sensation who is chasing a sprint treble in Beijing, was due to run in the 100m heats at the Bird’s Nest National Stadium in the evening.

Nicknamed after the specially adapted carbon fibre blades he wears, the 21-year-old won a court battle to compete at last month’s Olympics but failed to qualify.

Now he has set his sights on a clean sweep in the sprints in his category at the Beijing Paralympics, before setting himself for another shot at competing with able-bodied athletes in the London 2012 Olympics.

Ahead of his Beijing debut, Pistorius admitted to being on edge.

“I think nerves and pressure are good things, but I’m very excited as well,” he said.

Meanwhile, compatriot du Toit was eyeing the 100m freestyle gold after winning the 100m butterfly in her category on day one in a world-record time of 1min 6.74sec.

The 24-year-old, who finished 16th in 10km marathon swim in the Olympics, is aiming for four more wins to match her gold tally at the Athens Paralympics, but admitted it would be tough.

“I am not used to sprinting. I need to work on my streamlines, my start and my tumble turn -- it was a bit short this time,” she said after finishing first in the 100m freestyle heats on Monday morning.

“The last race, the 50m freestyle, will be the toughest one. It is just one length. Hopefully I will have enough sprint for that.”Du Toit won five golds and a silver at the Athens Paralympics. She lost her left leg in a road accident in 2001, after narrowly missing qualification for the Sydney Olympics a year earlier.—AFP