Alan Fonteles Cardoso Oliveira (born August 21, 1992) is a

Paralympian The Paralympic Games or Paralympics, also known as the ''Games of the Paralympiad'', is a periodic series of international multisport events involving athletes with a range of physical disabilities, including impaired muscle power and impaire ...

athlete An athlete (also sportsman or sportswoman) is a person who competes in one or more sports that involve physical strength, speed, or endurance. Athletes may be professionals or amateurs. Most professional athletes have particularly well-devel ...

from Brazil competing mainly in category T44 sprint events. Oliveira is a double-below-the-knee amputee, classifying him in the Paralympic T43 class; athletes in this class run in T44 event.

Biography

Oliveira was born in Marabá, in the state of Pará. He had both legs amputated at the age of 21 days, after an intestinal infection led to sepsis. By the age of eight, he was competing in athletics. Oliveira began running with wooden prostheses, and started competing in races in Brazil at age 13. He began running on carbon-fibre blades at the age of 15, shortly before competing in his first Paralympics in Beijing. Competing at the

2008 Summer Paralympics The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games (), the 13th Summer Paralympic Games, took place in Beijing, China from September 6 to 17, 2008. As with the 2008 Summer Olympics, equestrian events were held in Hong Kong and sailing events in Qingdao. It was ...

in Beijing, Oliveira won a silver medal in the T42–T46 4 × 100 metres relay as part of the Brazilian team, after failing to win a medal in the T44 200m. At the

2012 Summer Paralympics The 2012 Summer Paralympics, branded as the London 2012 Paralympic Games, were an international multi-sport parasports event held from 29 August to 9 September 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. They were the 14th Summer Paralympic Gam ...

in London he won gold in the T44 200m, ahead of

Oscar Pistorius Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius (; ; born 22 November 1986) is a South African convicted murderer and former professional sprinter. Both of his feet were amputated when he was 11 months old owing to a congenital defect; he was born missing the o ...

who was a favorite to win. Immediately after the race Pistorius caused controversy by criticising the blades Oliveira had used, claiming they were too long and artificially increased his stride length, giving him an unfair advantage. Pistorius' complaint was denied at that time by the

International Paralympic Committee The International Paralympic Committee (IPC; german: Internationales Paralympisches Komitee) is an international non-profit organisation and the global governing body for the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Paralympic Games and fun ...

, which stated all athletes were measured prior to the race by a classifier and all blade lengths were approved for competition. The IPC also confirmed that Pistorius had raised the issue of prosthetic lengths in personal contacts about six weeks prior to the race. SASCOC issued a statement declaring their full support and promising to assist in discussions with the IPC about the issue of blade lengths after the Games. The IPC expressed willingness to discuss the issue. Australian runner

Jack Swift Jack Swift (born 8 August 1985) is an Australian Paralympic athletics, athletics competitor and paratriathlon, paratriathlete. He was selected to represent Australia at the 2012 Summer Paralympics, Australia at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in ath ...

and USA runner

Jerome Singleton Jerome Singleton (born July 7, 1986) is a Paralympic athlete from the United States competing mainly in category T44 (single below knee amputation) sprint events. Because he had no fibula in his right calf, his leg was amputated below the knee wh ...

, among other athletes, also expressed support for Pistorius' position regarding a possible competitive advantage. In July 2013 at the Paralympic Anniversary Games in London Oliveira became world's fastest double amputee athlete when he completed the T43 100m race in a time of 10.57 beating his previous record of 10.77 which he had set in Berlin in June 2013. At the

2016 Summer Paralympics ) , nations = 159 , athletes = 4,342 , opening = 7 September , closing = 18 September , opened_by = President Michel Temer , cauldron = Clodoaldo Silva , events = 528 in 22 sports , stadium = Maracanã , sum ...

, held in Rio de Janeiro in his home country of Brazil, Oliveira failed to reach the final of either the 100m or 200m races in the T43 class. He did however win a silver medal in the T42-T47 relay as part of the Brazil team.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Oliveira, Alan 1992 births Living people Paralympic athletes of Brazil Athletes (track and field) at the 2008 Summer Paralympics Paralympic gold medalists for Brazil Paralympic silver medalists for Brazil Brazilian male sprinters People from Marabá World record holders in Paralympic athletics Medalists at the 2008 Summer Paralympics Medalists at the 2012 Summer Paralympics Medalists at the 2016 Summer Paralympics Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer Paralympics Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Paralympics Paralympic medalists in athletics (track and field) Medalists at the 2011 Parapan American Games Sportspeople from Pará

Biography

See also

References

External links