Singleton caused a major shock at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships last year when he narrowly beat Pistorius in the T44 100m final to hand the blade runner his first defeat in Paralympic sport for seven years.

It was sweet revenge for Singleton after the 25-year-old single leg amputee from South Carolina finished inches behind Pistorius in the T44 100m final at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics.

Pistorius' profile has dramatically risen since their last race in Christchurch after the South African qualified to become the first amputee athlete ever to compete at the able-bodied World Athletics Championships at Daegu, reaching the 400m semi-finals and running as part of the South African 4x400m relay squad that secured silver.

Pistorius looks increasingly likely to qualify for the Olympics as well as the Paralympics at London 2012 in a story that is bringing him yet more media attention but Singleton says he is not at all fazed.


"Whether Oscar has all the fanfare and all the media, that doesn't really bother me all that much," Singleton said here at the 2012 Team USA Media Summit.

"Hard work and dedication; that is what will bring you the gold medal, not media attention.

"But I know that behind all of that media stuff, Oscar is working really, really hard.

"He will be ready for that showdown in the 100 metres at the Paralympics and I will be too.

"I just hope that if he does make it to the Olympics, he doesn't use it as an excuse if he loses!"

Singleton (pictured below, right), who was born without a fibula in his right leg and was therefore amputated below the knee when he was 18 months old, admits that getting off to a fast start represents his biggest chance of beating Pistorius in the T44 100m.

"Being a single leg amputee, I have the base to get off to a fast start whereas it takes a bit of time for Oscar (pictured below, left) to really get going because he is a double leg amputee" Singleton said.

"It is always the same when we race; I get ahead of him in the first half of the race and then he reels me in over the second half of the race.

"His prosthetic legs give him real balance, which is vital in sprinting, so that makes him one of the fastest guys around.

"In the 100 metres, we are about even.

"But over 200 metres, it isn't that close because he has time to get into his stride pattern and then it is difficult to catch him."

Singleton added that he would be happy to see Pistorius at the Olympics but said that there is little chance he would be able to follow in the footsteps of his rival.

"If that is what he wants to do, I wish him the best of luck," Singleton said.

"He has been cleared to compete so it shouldn't be a problem for anyone else.

"But I don't think I could compete at the Olympics as to qualify for the Olympics in the USA, you would need to be one of the fastest sprinters in the world.

"The T44 100m world record is 10.91 [set by Pistorius] the able-bodied world record is 9.58 [set by Jamaica's Usain Bolt] and you have got guys from America running close to that and under 10 seconds all the time.

"So it is different for me and Oscar.

"South Africa is the size of Texas but America is huge so obviously it is harder to make the Olympic team.

"I hope that I can one day make the US Olympic trials and that is a big goal for me but I don't think I'll be able to qualify for the Olympics.

"But that isn't important to me.

"The Paralympics is a great event and when you see Oscar and I race sparks are going to fly."

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