LONDON – Double-amputee Oscar Pistorius will be allowed to run any part of the Olympic 1,600-meter relay.

Pistorius was the leadoff runner in the semifinals of the relay last year at the world championships in South Korea after the IAAF raised concerns that his carbon-fiber blades would endanger others in the race. South Africa won silver but Pistorius didn’t run in the final.

Pistorius will be the first amputee runner to compete in the Olympics after a four-year battle to overturn a ban. He is set to run in the individual 400 on Saturday and is expected to run in the relay next week.

ONE OF the toughest vaults is the Amanar, named after the 1996 vault champion, Simona Amanar. It consists of a roundoff onto the takeoff board, back handspring onto the table and 2.5 twisting somersaults.

Most countries are lucky to have one or two gymnasts who even try it, let alone do it well. But four of the five Americans — Aly Raisman, Jordyn Wieber, Gabby Douglas and the world vault champ, McKayla Maroney — land the high-scoring skill.

FUNNY THING about the archery setup at Lord’s Cricket Ground. Television images don’t give you any idea how cozy it is.

Instead of using the whole wide cricket stadium, organizers carved out an intimate arena in the middle, complete with temporary bleachers. TV cameras and photographers are so close they must be protected from wayward arrows by hiding in little green bunkers.

OVERLOOKED AMID the U.S. rout was Romania winning the bronze medal in women’s gymnastics, extending its remarkable streak of finishes. The Romanians have won a medal at every Olympics dating to 1976.

“How many gymnasts are there in the USA? China? Russia?” asked Coach Octavian Belu. “We have a small group and try our best every day to make good things.”

CHUANG CHIH-YUAN of Taiwan felt terrible despite reaching the quarterfinals of men’s table tennis. He routed Adrian Crisan of Romania 11-3, 11-4, 11-4, 11-5. Trouble is, Chuang said Crisan is his best friend.

“But this is sport and I was very sorry when I knew I would have to play against him. It was a very bad feeling. It was like you have to kill your brother.”