Oscar Pistorius Sets New 200m World Record During Heat At Paralympics 2012

'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius Smashes World Record
South Africa's Oscar Pistorius during a training session at Mayesbrook Park Arena, Barking, England, Monday Aug. 27, 2012. The 2012 Summer Paralympic Games will be the fourteenth Paralympics and will take place between Aug. 29 to Sept. 9. (AP Photo/ Chris Radburn/PA) UNITED KINGDOM OUT NO SALES NO ARCHIVE
South Africa's Oscar Pistorius during a training session at Mayesbrook Park Arena, Barking, England, Monday Aug. 27, 2012. The 2012 Summer Paralympic Games will be the fourteenth Paralympics and will take place between Aug. 29 to Sept. 9. (AP Photo/ Chris Radburn/PA) UNITED KINGDOM OUT NO SALES NO ARCHIVE

Oscar Pistorius is off to a good start at the 2012 Summer Paralympics, setting a new world record Saturday in his 200m heat.

The 25-year-old South African, who competed in the 400m and 4x400m relay at the London Olympic Games, won his heat in 21.30 seconds, shaving more than half a second off the previous record set by Brazilian Alan Oliveira in an earlier heat.

"I'm so happy to be back here. This crowd is as awesome as they were a couple of weeks ago. I'm happy with the time and tomorrow is the big race and I am looking forward to that," he said, according to Reuters.

The Paralympics 200m defending champion told BBC he didn't "expect a world record" but said he hopes to "go lower" at the finals on Sunday.

Competing against able-bodied athletes, Pistorius made it to the semifinals of the individual 400-meter and the 400-meter relay final.

According to Reuters, Pistorius' "scorching time has given him confidence that he might be able to complete the clean sweep as he did in China four years ago."

However, the sprinter admitted that conquering the 100m may prove to be a challenge.

"A world record tonight so we will see what happens, but the 100m is not my event," said Pistorius, who will also be competing as part of South Africa's 4X100m relay team.

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