Pistorius warms up for Wariner with second in Rome

ROME, July 13 (Reuters) Paralympian Oscar Pistorius warmed up for this weekend's 400 metres showdown with Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner by finishing second in the 'B' race at the Rome Golden League meeting today.

Pistorius, who was born without the fibula in both legs and had his limbs amputated below the knee at the age of five months, was last coming off the final bend at Rome's Olympic Stadium, but overhauled the field to finish in 46.90 seconds, 0.18 seconds behind winner Stefano Braciola.

The 20-year-old South African faces a top-class field, which includes world champion Wariner, at the British Grand Prix in Sheffield on Sunday.

Pistorius, the Paralympic 200 metres champion, was given permission to compete against able-bodied athletes by the IAAF last month after it lifted a ban on the curved carbon fibre blades he wears in place of his lower legs.

His major objective is to compete at next year's Olympic Games in Beijing.

The IAAF, however, has dismissed such talk as premature and has said it will monitor the race in Sheffield to help decide whether the blades Pistorius runs on give him an unfair advantage.

REUTERS PDS BST0233