BEIJING, Sept 16: “Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius won 400m gold in world-record time to complete a Beijing Paralympics sprint treble on the penultimate day on Tuesday as hosts China smashed through the 200-medal mark.

The South African powered clear of his rivals to finish in 47.49secs, ahead of America’s Jim Bob Bizzell and British runner Ian Jones, breaking his own world mark by almost half a second.

Pistorius said winning his final race and breaking the world record was a wonderful way to end his Games.

“It was definitely something I was hoping for and to end with a world record is a dream come true. This has been by far one of the most memorable competitions of my life. It’s definitely something that’s going to stay with me for the rest of my life.“I’ve had such a good time. The crowd’s been so passionate and I’m just so grateful for everyone who’s been supporting me.” His victory on the last night of track and field here follows wins in his category in the 100m and 200m races earlier in the Games.

Meanwhile, Canadian wheelchair racer Chantal Petitclerc joined swimmers Natalie du Toit from South Africa and Australia’s Matthew Cowdrey as one of the superstars of the Games with five golds.

Victory in the 1,500m for Petitclerc adds to golds in the 100m, 200m and 400m and 800m competitions for the 38-year-old and she joins Du Toit and Cowdrey as the only athletes to have won five golds each in Beijing.

Away from the “Bird’s Nest,” China and Australia were going head-to-head in the final of the men’s wheelchair basketball competition.

As the Games draw to a close, with only a handful of events to come on the last day on Wednesday, China had 85 golds and 204 medals overall to stand well clear on the medals table.

Britain, which had chased China hard early in the Games, were in second place with 41 golds and 100 medals. The United States were in third place with 34 golds and 94 in total.

The Games have been widely praised for their superb organisation and the huge crowds that have turned out to watch the sport, particularly at the athletics and swimming.

British organisers of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics on Tuesday praised the “spectacular” delivery of both events but said they were not daunted by the challenge of following China.

Speaking about the Paralympics, London 2012 organising committee chairman Sebastian Coe said they would be remembered for “elite sport, superb organisation, stunning venues and spectacular opening and closing ceremonies.” Controversies over drugs and classification problems have been among the few issues to cloud the Paralympics here.—AFP