Oscar Pistorius to be awarded honorary degree from Strathclyde

Originally published for Strathclyde Telegraph on 11/10/12

The University of Strathclyde will present Oscar Pistorius with an honorary degree in November after a year of sporting success. Pistorius, also known as the blade runner, won two Gold medals and a Silver at this year’s Paralympic games in London and also featured in the South African Olympic 400m and 4x400m relay team.

Oscar, who made history earlier this year by becoming the first Paralympic athlete to win a medal at the IAAF able-bodied World Championships, will be made a Doctor at Strathclyde this autumn after making history by competing in the Olympics and Paralympic games.He last visited Glasgow in November 2011 to give a keynote lecture at the University’s sporting prosthetics conference to encourage more people to become active in sports and physical activity.

The elite athlete commented: “I’d like to thank Strathclyde University for their support and for awarding me a honorary doctors degree.

“It really has been the most amazing, rewarding and humbling past few months and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the support of the public.”

He added: “I’m now taking a little bit of time out to reflect on my time in London, to take it all in and to enjoy some well-earned rest.

“I’ve had an extremely long season so I won’t be competing now until the new year.”

“I’d like to wish all the students luck in their studies and again to thank them and the University for all their support.” The Olympian added.

Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Principal of the University of Strathclyde, said: “We were delighted to be welcoming Oscar back to the University following his keynote speech at our Sporting Prosthetics conference last year.

“His passion and commitment to sport, combined with his ability to encourage others to take part in physical activity, make him an excellent, international ambassador for the University.”
Oscar will be presented with his honorary degree at the Barony Hall alongside fellow honorary graduands Fran Healey, lead singer of Scottish pop band Travis; Sir Paul Nurse, the British geneticist, cell biologist and Nobel Prize winner; Professor Neil Gershenfeld, Director of the Centre for Bits and Atoms at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Professor Anne Glover, EU Chief Scientific Advisor.