Oscar Pistorius

Oscar Pistorius is a former South African sprinter who became internationally known for competing in both the Paralympic and Olympic Games.

Oscar Pistorius is a former South African sprinter who became internationally known for competing in both the Paralympic and Olympic Games. He was born with fibular defects and had both legs amputated below the knee in infancy. He later won multiple Paralympic medals, but his career ended after his 2015 murder conviction for killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

Early life and disability

Pistorius was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 22 November 1986, with a congenital condition that left him without fibulas in both legs. His lower legs were amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old. He grew up in South Africa and later became one of the most prominent Paralympic sprinters of his era.

Athletic career

Pistorius rose to prominence as a Paralympic sprinter and became a global figure in disability sport. He won six Paralympic gold medals, one silver, and one bronze. At the 2012 London Olympics, he became the first double amputee to compete in the Olympic Games. He was known by the nickname 'Blade Runner' for his use of carbon-fibre prosthetic blades for sprinting.

Criminal conviction

In 2013, Pistorius shot and killed Reeva Steenkamp. He was initially convicted of culpable homicide, but on appeal his conviction was upgraded to murder in 2015. He was sentenced to prison, and his athletic career ended.

Legacy

Pistorius is remembered both for breaking barriers in elite athletics and for the violent crime that ended his career and reshaped his public reputation. His case has been widely discussed in international media and within the context of Olympic and Paralympic history.