Oscar Pistorius
Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius (born 22 November 1986) is a South African former sprint runner.[9] He is serving a prison sentence for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Blade Runner; the fastest man on no legs; "Oz" Pistorius[1] |
| Born | 22 November 1986 Sandton, Johannesburg, Transvaal Province (now Gauteng Province), South Africa |
| Alma mater | University of Pretoria, did not graduate |
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in) in prosthetics[2] |
| Weight | 80.6 kg (178 lb) (2007)[3] |
| Website | www.oscarpistorius.com |
| Sport | |
| Country |  South Africa |
| Sport | Running |
| Event(s) | Sprints (100, 200, 400 m) |
| Achievements and titles | |
| World finals | 2005 Paralympic World Cup: 100 m (T44) – Gold; 200 m (T44) – Gold |
| National finals | 2007 South African Senior Athletics Championships: 400 m (T44) – Gold |
| Paralympic finals | 2004 Summer Paralympics: 100 m (T44) – Bronze; 200 m (T44) – Gold 2008 Summer Paralympics: 100 m (T44) – Gold, 200 m (T44) – Gold; 400 m (T44) – Gold |
| Highest world ranking | 100 m: 1st (2008)[4] 200 m: 1st (2008)[5] |
| Personal best(s) | 100 m (T44): 10.91 s (2007, WR) 200 m (T44): 21.30 s (2012, WR)[7] |
Pistorius was born in Sandton, Johannesburg. Both of his legs are amputated above the ankle, and he runs with prostheses.[10] Pistorius competed in races for athletes with disabilities. He first ran in international competitions for able-bodied athletes in 2007.
In 2011, he competed in the World Championships, and as part of South Africa's silver-medal-winning relay team, he became the first amputee to win an able-bodied world track medal. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Pistorius became the first double-leg amputee to compete in the Olympics. He also competed in the 2012 Summer Paralympics. He won gold medals in the men's 400 metre race in a Paralympic record time of 46.68 seconds and in the 4 × 100 metres relay in a world record time of 41.78 seconds. He also won a silver in the 200 metres race.
On 14 February 2013, he shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp dead in his house. He was charged with murder, but is not in prison because he paid a R1 million to be released on bail. His murder trial began on 3 March 2014 in Pretoria.[11] During the trial, Pistorius was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder.[12] On 11 September, he was found not guilty of murder. On 12 September 2014, he was convicted of manslaughter.[13]
In November 2014, prosecutors asked the sentencing judge for permission to appeal the verdict. Permission was granted in December, and the case was presented to a five-person panel at the Supreme Court of Appeal. He was released on house arrest, and on 3 December 2015 the Appeal Court overturned the culpable homicide verdict and convicted him of murder.[14] Pistorius appeared in court on 13 June 2016 to start the sentence hearing for the murder conviction; on 6 July he was sentenced to six years imprisonment for murder.[15] On 24 November 2017, Pistorius's sentence was extended by 13 years and five months.[16] He tried to appeal but failed.[17]
Oscar Pistorius Media
Pistorius taking part in the Landsmót ungmennafélags Íslands in Kópavogur, Iceland, in July 2007
Pistorius in his prostheses at an International Paralympic Day event in Trafalgar Square, London, on 8 September 2011
The South African newspaper The Citizen announcing the IAAF's decision to ban Pistorius from its competitions – photographed in Johannesburg on 16 January 2008
Pistorius during the 2011 World Championships in Athletics in Daegu, South Korea
Pistorius running in the Olympic Stadium during the heats of the 400 metres at the 2012 Summer Olympics on 4 August
Pistorius carrying the flag at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Paralympics
Pistorius after winning the 400m T44 final
References
- ↑ Mr. Oscar "Oz" PISTORIUS, Who's Who of Southern Africa, 24.com, archived from the original on 27 April 2009, retrieved 18 May 2007
- ↑ John Leicester (5 September 2012), "Column: History-maker Pistorius a hypocrite, too?", The Huffington Post, archived from the original on 6 September 2012, retrieved 16 February 2013
- ↑ Josh McHugh (March 2007), "Blade Runner", Wired, vol. 15, no. 3
- ↑ World wide ranking: T44 male 100 2008, International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation, retrieved 19 July 2008
- ↑ World wide ranking: T44 male 200 2008, International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation, retrieved 19 July 2008
- ↑ World wide ranking: T44 male 400 2008, International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation, retrieved 19 July 2008
- ↑ Andy Bull (1 September 2012), "Oscar Pistorius and Arnu Fourie seek room at the top at Paralympics", The Guardian, London
- ↑ Jon Mulkeen (19 July 2011), Pistorius gets world and Olympic qualifier in Lignano: Double-amputee sprinter clocks 45.07 to guarantee his major champs selection, Athletics Weekly, archived from the original on 7 August 2012, retrieved 16 February 2013
- ↑ Telegraph profile
- ↑ PISTORIUS Oscar, International Paralympic Committee, archived from the original on 10 August 2012, retrieved 9 August 2012
- ↑ "Pistorius shoots girlfriend". Archived from the original on 2013-07-07. Retrieved 2018-04-01.
- ↑ Oscar Pistorius has anxiety disorder
- ↑ Oscar Pistorius found guilty of culpable homicide
- ↑ Onishi, Norimitsu (3 December 2015). Oscar Pistorius Guilty in Murder of Reeva Steenkamp, Appeals Court Rules. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/04/world/africa/oscar-pistorius.html?_r=0. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
- ↑ Oscar Pistorius given six years for Reeva Steenkamp murder. BBC News. 6 July 2016. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-36719561. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
- ↑ "Oscar Pistorius jail term for killing Reeva Steenkamp more than doubled". BBC News. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ↑ "Oscar Pistorius appeal dismissed, closing 5-year legal saga". NBC News. Retrieved September 6, 2023.