Ease off athletes: Pistorius

PUTTING pressure on South Africa's Olympians is unnecessary, says Olympic hopeful Oscar Pistorius.

With just under 100 days to the start of the London Games - and expectations high that South Africa will improve on the single medal from the previous Games in Beijing - Pistorius said the athletes could do without the extra pressure.

"Athletes do not need that," he said. "They are already under pressure from themselves and their own expectations."

Pistorius is on the verge of becoming the first amputee athlete to take part in the Olympics and has already run one of two qualifying times for the 400m.

"Athletes will do their best and know what is expected of them," he said.

He is also confident that South Africa can return from London with more medals than in Beijing where long-jumper Khotso Mokoena's silver was the team's only medal.

Pistorius says there has been an improvement in the build-up to this year's Games, as opposed to four years ago.

"The guys have really stepped up from the previous Olympics. There is an improvement in resources, which should give us no reasons not to get the best performances from the athletes," he said. "Previously there were a lot of injuries which hampered our chances of doing better, but the experience gained from Beijing will see us doing a lot better."

Pistorius is one race away from sealing his spot in the SA Olympic team after having run the qualifying time twice, and needing one more qualifying time to meet the standards set by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee.