South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius is headed to the Olympics, a historic event almost certain to validate the double-amputee's quest to be considered "a runner," not a "disabled runner."

The 25-year-old will run for the South African Olympic team, making him the first amputee to run in both the Olympic and Paralympic games. In what is sure to be one of the big draws of the Games, Pistorius — whose legs were amputated below the knee before he was 1 year old — will run in the individual 400 meter race and the 4x400 meter relay in London.

“Today is truly one of the proudest days of my life,” Pistorius said in a statement after being named to the team Wednesday. The statement followed an exuberant tweet he sent after the South African Olympic committee included him among the 125 athletes it is sending to London.

"Will be in @London2012 for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games!" he tweeted. "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!"

His spot on the team fulfills a dream Pistorius has chased since at least 2007, when the man called Blade Runner first ran against able-bodied runners at the international level. Pistorius has over the past five years honed his skills and performance, competing at the world championships last year in South Korea. He is among South Africa's most notable athletes, both for his speed and the J-shaped carbon-fiber prosthetic blades, called Flex-Foot Cheetahs, that work something like a cat's hind legs.

"This is an intriguing moment in the history of the science of sports," said Dr. Matt Bundle, a University of Montana professor who co-authored a study about Pistorius as part of the runner's appeal after being banned from Olympic qualifying in 2007. "An individual is able to use a mechanical device in a way that surpasses the human leg. It's an important time to note that that's impressive."

Pistorius' signature event is the 400 meters, and his spot on the Olympic team had been in question because South Africa requires competitors to have run the Olympic "A" standard twice in 2012 before being selected. That means running a qualifying time of 45.30 seconds in an international race. (Athletes who run the "B" standard can compete if no one from their country achieved the "A" standard.)

Pistorius ran a personal best of 45.07 in Italy last year and ran a 45.20 earlier this year, both of which were Olympic qualifying times. Despite missing the "A" standard by less than a quarter of a second on June 30 in the African Championships Final, South Africa announced Wednesday that Pistorius will run in London. That has prompted some pundits to question whether South Africa bent its rules because Pistorius is such a compelling story.

But Tubby Reddy, head of the South African Sports Confederation, told The Associated Press that South Africa's track body sought permission for Pistorius to run the 400. Reddy said the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee agreed to let Pistorius, who had qualified for the 400 relay, run the 400 meters too.

"Since he's going to be there (in London), our decision is he can run both," Reddy told AP. "There's no reason why he can't."

And the South African organizing committee made it clear Pistorius was selected on merit.

"As I have said many times before, we are not taking passengers to London," committee President Gideon Sam told the AP.

Making the team validates Pistorius' quest to be treated like any other runner. The IAAF banned him from being considered at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, arguing that his legs gave him an unfair advantage. Pistorius appealed the decision, and further research determined the prosthetic blades may offer an advantage in certain parts of a race, mostly when running straight ahead, but hinder him at other times, particularly at the start or when rounding corners. Pistorius won the appeal, and has argued his legs are just legs.

"It's carbon fiber," Pistorius told Wired during a meet in New York, arguing that the blades are nothing special. "It's been used on prosthetic legs for 20 years, the leg I run on has been made since 1996."

The runner says he is focusing more on his hands and arms lately, "I open my left arm sometimes, which I shouldn't do." And he stated in no uncertain terms that no changes are made to the carbon fiber legs to give him an advantage.

"I'm not looking for any speed from my equipment," he said.

Pistorius will run in both the Olympic and Paralympic games. Various athletic federations have shown no inclination of revisiting the issue of prosthetic limbs from a policy standpoint, Brundle said, nor have other athletes or delegations raised any complaints. Pistorius isn't expected to be a medal contender, but he most likely will be as big a star as swimmer Michael Phelps or sprinter Usain Bolt.

"It is likely to be a historic moment when he steps onto the track and competes against intact limb individuals," Bundle said. "I think that he is an inspiration to millions of people around the world. I think he is deserving of all of that recognition."

Wired.com contributor Beth Carter provided additional reporting for this report.