Paralympic sprinter Jerome Singleton claims to be "fastest amputee in the world" He's America's answer to Oscar Pistorius, the widely acclaimed South African sprinter hoping to compete in both the Olympics and Paralympic Games this summer. The way Singleton sees it, he and Pistorius, whom he defeated at the most recent world championships in the 100 meters for below-knee amputees, are going to have one compelling, must-watch showdown at the Paralympics in London. "Muhammad Ali had Joe Frazier," Singleton opined. Michael Jordan had Larry Bird. Oscar Pistorius has . . . you're looking at him. Singleton can back up his grinning shtick. His surprising victory in Christchurch, New Zealand, last year ended Pistorius's seven-year win streak in Paralympic 100 races. Singleton, 25, won in a photo finish as both clocked 11.34 seconds. In their previous two meetings, Pistorius edged Singleton by .03 seconds. At the 2008 Summer Games, Pistorius chased Singleton down from behind to win in 11.17. He ran him down again at a Paralympic World Cup at Manchester a year later with a victory in 11.13, leaving him with another silver medal. Rivalry of respect The similarities between the two end at their speed. Pistorius has two prosthetic legs; Singleton, who was born without a right fibula and had his leg amputated below the knee at 18 months, only one. Pistorius has become widely known for his pursuit of a qualifying time in the 400 meters that would secure him a place in the Olympic Games as a member of the South African team. Singleton has no such hope. In the United States, an Olympic qualifying time gets Singleton nowhere, because plenty of able-bodied Americans earn that every four years. With so much competition, Singleton has little hope of ever securing a U.S. Olympic spot. He hopes, someday, merely to qualify for the U.S. Olympic trials. His best time in the 100 is 11.1 seconds; the three U.S. men who win Olympic team slots in the event this summer likely will run below 10 seconds. So should Pistorius win a place in the Olympic 400 field, Singleton will be waiting for him at the Paralympics, which begin after the Olympics end. "If he goes to the Olympics and does well, I don't want any excuses when he comes to the Paralympics," Singleton said. Don't say you're tired. The jabs aside, Singleton shows great respect and appreciation for Pistorius, crediting him for the attention he has brought to athletes with disabilities as well as the motivation he handed Singleton by blowing by him in Beijing to win the 100 gold medal. "I saw a green flash go by me real quick," Singleton said. But "I think it was a blessing to get silver."