Pistorius relief after South Africa awarded place in 4x400m relay final

Story highlights

South Africa awarded place in Friday's 4x400m relay final on appeal

Their second leg runner in heats fell and dislocated his shoulder

Double amputee Oscar Pistorius is in the South African team

U.S. and Bahamas qualify for final joint fastest

CNN  — 

“Blade runner” Oscar Pistorius can still dream of landing an Olympic medal after his South African team were awarded a place in Friday’s 4x400m relay final despite failing to finish their qualification heat.

South Africa’s second leg runner Ofentse Mogawane went crashing to the track after tangling with Kenya’s Vincent Kiilu and sustained a dislocated left shoulder.

Pistorius, who was due to run the third leg Thursday was left a frustrated spectator, but South African officials immediately lodged an appeal, which was eventually upheld.

“IT’S ON!! We in the FINAL. Team management Protested as Ofentse was taken out and we have been given Lane 9!! @ljvanzyl to take his place!!!” tweeted Pistorius after the decision by the Jury of Appeal.

“Will be up on the 3rd leg tomorrow for the Final! Really can’t wait,” he added.

Track and field legend Johnson says Pistorius should not compete in Olympics

Pistorius made history when became the first double amputee athlete to compete in the Olympics as he contested the individual 400m earlier in the Games, reaching the semifinals.

Running with special carbon fiber prosthetic limbs, Pistorius was initially prevented from competing against able bodied athletes by world governing body, the IAAF.

The case went to the Court of Arbritration for Sport, who ruled in his favor in 2008.

South Africa are among the favorites to land the 4x400m title after finishing second in last year’s world championships in Daegu in the event.

Pistorius, 25, ran in the qualification round in South Korea, but was controversially excluded from the final. He was still awarded silver medal, becoming the first amputee athlete to achieve that feat.

After Mogawane’s fall, which looked to have ended his chances of Olympic glory, he reacted in disbelief.

“I can’t tell you how disappointed I feel. 11/10 if I had to give a number,” he told BBC Sport.

But soon a smile had returned to his face as news of their reinstatement came through.

Pistorius will run the third leg of four with LJ van Zyl replacing the injured Mogawane.

Kenya were disqualified but with South Africa’s inclusion there will be nine teams in the final rather than the usual eight.

The Bahamas and favorites the United States were the fastest qualifiers in two minutes 58.87 seconds in heat two.