One gold medal down in the Beijing Paralympics and two to go for sprinter Oscar Pistorius. Despite a slow start on a wet track, the South African won the most difficult of his three races, clocking 11.17 on Tuesday to take gold at 100 meters. American Jerome Singleton was just behind with 11.20, and Brian Frasure of the United States got bronze with 11.50. Pistorius will be a strong favorite to win the 200m and 400m. The double amputee, known as the “Blade Runner” because of the prosthetic legs he races on, won a legal battle in May for the right to run in the Olympics. However, subsequently he failed to meet the qualifying time standard. “I had a tough start and a slow first 30 meters,” Pistorius said of the 100m. “I really just pulled out all the stops.” Pistorius still has his sights set on qualifying for the Olympics. “I'm looking forward to London 2012,” he said. Pistorius' medal event was one of 20 on the track on Tuesday in the third day of competition. Swimming offered 16 with 7 in cycling and two dozen more in shooting, judo, equestrian, and powerlifting. American Erin Popovich won her third gold medal in the pool, taking the 100m breaststroke for her disability class. She has also won gold in the 200m IM and the 100m freestyle. Popovich won seven gold medals in Athens. She will go for only six this time as her other gold in 2004 came in a relay, which has been cut from the program. Through three days, China leads with 16 gold and 53 overall. Britain is No. 2 with 14 gold and 32 overall. The United States is No. 3 with 10 gold and 26 overall. Away from the venues, the Paralympics had its first athlete banned for failing a doping test. A Pakistani powerlifter has been banned for two years after failing a doping test - the first athlete to test positive at the Beijing Paralympics. Naveed Ahmed Butt tested positive for the steroid methandienone metabolites, the International Paralympic Committee said in a statement Tuesday . The urine sample was taken Sept. 4, two days before the opening ceremony. “In accordance with the IPC anti-doping code, and after a hearing of the IPC anti-doping committee, the IPC ratified the decision to disqualify Butt from the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games,” the statement said, adding that a two-year ban had been imposed. Peter Van de Vliet, the IPC's medical and scientific director, said Butt's accreditation was also being canceled. The IPC has said it plans about 1,000 in- and out-of-competition tests on both blood and urine. A Paralympic wheelchair race will be repeated even though the medal ceremony has already been held, organizers said. The women's 5,000 metres on Monday evening saw a huge pile-up less than 100 metres from the finishing line, taking six athletes out of the race. – AP __
