South African Oscar Pistorius will become the first amputee sprinter to compete in the Olympics after being selected for his country's 4x400 metres relay team.
Pistorius, known as the "Blade Runner" due to the prosthetic carbon fibre limbs he uses, narrowly missed out on a place in the individual event by just 0.22 seconds last week.
But Pistorius , who will also compete at the Paralympics, has been named in a 13-strong group of athletes that will complete their team line-up in this summer's London Games.
The announcement came as a huge boost for the 25-year-old who had both legs amputated below the knee before turning one because of a congenital condition that meant he was born without lower leg bones.
After receiving the news the runner who is also called "the fastest man on no legs" tweeted: "Today is really one of the happiest days of my life! Will be in London 2012 for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games!
"Thank you to everyone that has made me the athlete I am! God, family and friends, my competitors and supporters! You have all had a hand!"
Having failed to qualify for the 400m at the 2008 Beijing Olympics he went on to make history last year by competing at the world athletics championships, where he reached the 400m semi-final and won a silver medal in the 4x400m relay.
However, his omission from the relay team for the final at the competition in South Korea caused controversy and left him venting his anger at South African officials.
Pistorius, who won several medals at the Beijing and Athens Paralympic Games, will compete at the Paralympics in London in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 4x100m relay.
South African Olympic chief Gideon Sam congratulated Pistorius, the rest of the relay team and nine other athletes added to the 112 named last month as the country seeks to improve on a dismal one-medal show at the 2008 Beijing Games.
"It has taken four years, but now we can concentrate on doing our best at the Games. The preparation has been done and now it is up to our athletes to take over in London and show us what they are made of.
"As I have said many times before, we are not taking passengers to London. Everyone has met selection criteria and are genuine Olympic Games material. I wish them all the best."
