Pistorius looking ahead

Oscar Pistorius hopes to put more than two years of trials, tribulations and a near-death experience behind him as he begins his bid to compete at both the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in earnest this week.

The 23-year-old South African, a four-time Paralympic champion, endured a protracted court case with the IAAF over claims his carbon fibre blades provided an unfair advantage.

The issue was settled in 2008 by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, who agreed with the scientific evidence provided by Pistorius and his legal team that he had no such advantage and he is now permitted to partake in both Paralympic and able-bodied events.

Pistorius narrowly missed qualification for the Beijing Olympics, but won three Paralympic titles at the Bird's Nest Stadium the following month.

Having seemingly put his troubles behind him, Pistorius was then hospitalised while on a boat trip on the Vaal River in South Africa in February 2009.

The boat hit a submerged jetty, sending Pistorius into the steering wheel, breaking numerous bones in his face and ribs.

Pistorius still bears the scars of the accident and remains with limited feeling on the left side of his face, but he feels in good condition ahead of the BT Paralympic World Cup, which begins in Manchester today.

He said: "I'm sure I'm going to get that opportunity to get back on the horse and prove what I should have been doing last year.

"After '08, I was like 'jeez, I can finally get on with running and enjoy it'. Just as I got going, that (the boat accident) happened."

The sixth edition of the BT Paralympic World Cup features seven-a-side football for athletes with cerebral palsy for the first time.