By Marie Torto, Boston.com Staff

Born with fibular hemimelia, a congential absence of the fibula, in both legs, Pistorius' legs were amputated halfway between his knees and ankles when he was 11 months old, but it didn't stop him from participating in sports as a child. He took part in water polo, tennis and rugby in high school but it wasn't until January 2004 that he was introduced to running after a serious rugby injury put him in rehab. Pistroius runs on J-shaped carbon-fiber prosthetics called the "Flex-Foot Cheetah."