Brazilian Paralympian Alan Oliveira, a bilateral transtibial amputee, set the 100m (T43 – bilateral transtibial amputation or combined arm and leg amputations) world record with a time of 10.77 seconds at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics Grand Prix, held in Berlin, Germany, June 14-16. The previous record of 10.91 seconds was held jointly by Oscar Pistorius and Blake Leeper.
The time also beat the 100m (T44 – single, transtibial amputation or athletes who can walk with moderately reduced function in one or both legs) world record, held by Britain’s Jonnie Peacock at 10.85, and unofficially equaled by American Richard Browne on June 8. Browne’s time at the Star Athletics Sprint Meet in Monteverde, Florida, cannot be considered an official world record because the meet was not sanctioned by the IPC.
Oliveira won the 200m gold medal (T44) at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, and took the bronze in the 100m (T42-T46 – athletes with amputations or equivalent impairments) at the 2011 World Championships with a time of 11.43, behind Oscar Pistorius and Jerome Singleton, who took silver and gold respectively, both clocking 11.34.
Oliveira, 20, is said to be a favorite in the 100m and 200m events at the 2013 IPC Athletics World Championships to be held July 19-28, in Lyon, France. The T43 and T44 classes will run together at the World Championships.
