Gallery: 11 Disabled Athletes Who Competed in the Olympics
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Oscar Pistorius makes history Saturday when he becomes the first double-amputee to compete in the Olympic Games. As impressive as that is, the South African runner isn't the first disabled athlete to compete in an Olympiad. At least 11 disabled athletes have participated in the Games over the years, beginning with American gymnast George Eyser. He won a chestful of medals in 1904 while competing with a wooden leg. Heck — Pistorius isn't even the only disabled athlete in London. South Korean archer Im Dong Hyun, who has 10 percent vision in his left eye and 20 percent his right, [set the first world record](http://bit.ly/Ndwj5W ) of the 2012 Games, and his team eventually won bronze. Polish table tennis player Natalia Partyka, who was born without a right hand or forearm, is there too, appearing in her second consecutive Olympic Games. [](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/playbook/?attachment_id=15995) Here, straight from *[The Book of Olympic Lists: A Treasure-Trove of 116 Years of Olympic Trivia](http://amzn.to/MGZfs8)* (Aurum Press, $14.95) by David Wallechinsky and Jaime Loucky, are 11 disabled athletes who competed in the Games. __Above__: George Eyser, USA, Gymnastics, 1904 One of the most remarkable athletes of the St. Louis Games was American gymnast George Eyser, who won three gold medals, two silvers and one bronze. What made his feats particularly impressive was that his left leg was made of wood. His leg had been amputated after he was run over by a train. Photo: [Wikimediacommons](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GeorgeEyser3.JPG)
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__Olivér Halassy, Hungary, Water Polo, 1928–1936__ Olivér Halassy played on three Hungarian Olympic water polo teams, winning three medals (two golds and a silver) despite the fact that one of his legs had been amputated below the knee after a streetcar accident when he was 11. *Photo courtesy International Olympic Committee*
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__Lis Hartel, Denmark, Equestrian Dressage, 1952__ Lis Hartel was one of the first women allowed to compete against men in the equestrian dressage. Although paralysed below the knees after an attack of polio in 1944, when she was 23, Hartel learned how to do without the affected muscles, improving so much that she was chosen to represent Denmark in the 1952 Olympics. She responded by earning the silver medal, even though she had to be helped on and off her horse. *Photo: Getty Images*
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__Ildikó Rejtö, Hungary, Women’s Foil Fencing, 1960–1976__ Ildikó Rejtö was born deaf on May 11, 1937. When she began fencing at age 14 her coaches communicated their instructions on pieces of paper. She competed in five Olympics, earning two gold medals, one silver and two bronzes. She also holds the unusual distinction of being the only Summer Olympian to win medals using three different names, having married twice during her Olympic career. *Photo courtesy International Olympic Committee*
Rich Clarkson05jeff-float-usa-freestyle-swimming-1984
__Jeff Float, USA, Freestyle Swimming, 1984__ Swimming the third leg for the US in the 4 × 200-meter freestyle relay was Jeff Float, who had lost 80% of his hearing in his right ear and 60% in his left ear after contracting viral meningitis at the age of 13 months. So great was the roar of the hometown crowd as Float lengthened the US lead during the Olympic final that, for the first time in his life, he heard the crowd cheering him on. *Photo: Rich Clarkson/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images*
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__Neroli Fairhall, New Zealand, Women’s Individual Archery, 1984__ Finishing in 35th place was New Zealand’s Neroli Fairhall, the first athlete to take part in the Olympics after previously competing in the Paralympic Games. Paralysed from the waist down after a motorbike accident, she competed while seated in a wheelchair. *Photo courtesy New Zealand Olympic Team*
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__Paola Fantato, Italy, Women’s Archery, 1996__ Wheelchair-bound since the age of eight as a result of polio, Paula Fantato was the first athlete to compete in the Olympics and the Paralympics in the same year. *Photo: Elise Amendola/AP*
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__Terence Parkin, South Africa, 100-meter Breast stroke, 2000__ Silver-medal-winner Terence Parkin was 100 percent deaf since birth, so a strobe light was used to communicate to him the start of the race. *Photo: Michael Steele/Allsport/Getty*
RICH PEDRONCELLI09marla-runyan-usa-womens-running-2004-2008
__Marla Runyan, USA, Women’s Running, 2004–2008__ Legally blind as a result of Stargardt’s disease, Marla Runyan had already won five gold medals in the Paralympics when she qualified for the US team at 1,500 meters at the Athens Olympics. She placed eighth in the final. Four years later she competed at 5,000 meters. *Photo: Rich Pedroncelli/AP*
Armando Franca10natalie-du-toit-south-africa-womens-open-water-swimming-2008
__Natalie du Toit, South Africa, Women’s Open Water Swimming, 2008__ Sixteenth place finisher Natalie du Toit had an inspiring path to the Olympics. As a teenager she had narrowly missed a spot on South Africa’s Sydney 2000 Olympic team. A year later she was hit by a car while riding her scooter and lost her left leg below the knee. She continued swimming, winning five gold medals and one silver at the 2004 Paralympics and qualifying for the Beijing Olympics after finishing fourth at the 2008 world championships. *Photo: Armando Franca/AP*
Chitose Suzuki11natalia-partyka-poland-womens-table-tennis-2008
__Natalia Partyka, Poland, Women’s Table Tennis, 2008__ Born without a right hand and forearm, Natalia Partyka won the Paralympic championship in 2004 before competing in the Beijing Olympics in 2008. *Photo: Chitose Suzuki/AP*
