Oscar Pistorius is a renowned South African sprint runner. He rose to fame in 2012 after making history for being the first amputee to finish in track events during the Olympics. He was also termed guilty for the murder of his girlfriend on Valentine’s Day.
Not so many people would take up a normal life even with disabilities. Despite being an amputee on both legs, Oscar has done exceedingly well in life by trying out and excelling in different sporting activities. His success is evident in the number of awards and achievements in his name.
Oscar was born on 22nd November 1986 in Sandton, Johannesburg, Gauteng in South Africa. He was born to Henk and Sheila Pistorius. His physical health was tainted at birth as he was born without a fibula in his two legs. Oscar Pistorius parents were faced with the challenging task of deciding to have the legs of their son amputated below his knees just a month before celebrating his first birthday.
He joined the Constantia Kloof Primary School before enrolling at Pretoria Boys High School. In high school, Oscar played rugby union in the school’s third XV team. He also took part in numerous other sporting activities such as tennis, water polo, and wrestling. He trained at Jannie Brook’s garage gym in Pretoria.
In 2003, he had a severe knee injury while playing rugby and was forced to quit the sport. In January 2004, he was introduced to running while still undergoing rehabilitation with Coach Ampie Louw at the University of Pretoria's High-Performance Centre. He had his racing blades fitted by Brian Frasure, an American prosthetist and Paralympic sprinter from the Icelandic company Ossur.
In 2006, Oscar began studying at the University of Pretoria when he undertook a course in Bachelor of Commerce in Business Management with Sports Science.
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Oscar has had his stints in sporting and filmography as follows:
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Other than taking part in sporting activities, Oscar has also starred in several films. Here is the list of Oscar Pistorius movies:
Oscar was brought up in a Christian home by his parents, together with his siblings. His father, Henk Pistorius, worked as a businessman, but there are no details about his mother's work. Oscar Pistorius's parents divorced while he was six years. The separation created a strained relationship between Oscar and his father. On the other hand, his mother, Sheila Pistorius, died when he was 15 years due to drug complications after undergoing hysterectomy.
Leonard is the middle child among three siblings. He has an elder brother who goes by the name Carl and a younger sister named Aimee. His family was prominent in South Africa, and they had a middle-class lifestyle.
In February 2013, the track star was all over the headlines. Oscar Pistorius girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, was found dead at his home in Pretoria, South Africa.
The police reported that the model was shot dead on the morning of 14th February 2013 with wounds of the bullet on one arm and on her head. Oscar was named the main suspect of the murder. During a hearing at the Magistrate Court in Pretoria on 19th February 2013, Oscar admitted to unintentionally shooting Reeva.
Pistorius went ahead to say that he had mistaken his girlfriend for an intruder in the bathroom and therefore shot her through the locked bathroom door. Subsequently, he was faced with the charges of premeditated murder.
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The trial began on 3rd March 2014. He was charged with premeditated murder and two other separate gun indictments from occurrences that were not related to his girlfriend’s death. He pleaded not guilty in all these charges, claiming that he was frightened because of his vulnerable state of mind without his prosthetic legs.
After a few weeks of recess, Oscar Pistorius lawyer asked a psychiatrist to offer his testimony stating that Oscar was suffering from a generalized anxiety disorder. After a full mental examination done by a team of psychiatrists, it was discovered that he was not suffering from any anxiety disorders. The trial resumed and went on for weeks as the two sides were presenting their arguments.
On 11th September 2014, Oscar was declared not guilty of premeditated murder but was found guilty of culpable homicide. He was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment in October 2014. On 19th October 2015, he was released and placed under correctional supervision and house arrest for four years. Reeva’s mother opted to forgive him so that she could move own with her life. Here are her words:
I didn’t want him to be thrown in jail and be suffering because I don’t wish suffering on anyone, and that’s not going to bring Reeva back, stated the speech.Barry, the defense lawyer for Oscar, reportedly admitted that he was going to lose during one of the court's hearings in Bloemfontein. The statement came up as he was having a conversation with Gerrie Nel, the state prosecutor, after presenting their arguments.
Throughout his sporting career, Pistorius has had numerous awards and achievements due to his exemplary skills. Here is the breakdown of Oscar Pistorius awards:
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Before his jail term, the track star had a successful career, which earned him numerous awards and a huge income. As of 2020, his net worth stands at $50,000.
Ever since his sentencing, many people have been curious to find out the whereabouts of Oscar. After the state appealed for a longer sentence for the victim, the Supreme Court of Appeal increased his term to a period of 15 years.
Oscar Pistorius latest news indicates that he has found a new purpose while still in prison. Oscar Pistorius 2020 activities involve leading a Bible study and prayer group and harvesting vegetables.
The following are the most asked questions about the sports personality:
Seventeen months after Oscar was sentenced for an imprisonment of 6 years, the Court of Appeal doubled his term to a whopping 13years and five months, making the total imprisonment period 15 years.
On 14th February 2013, Oscar shot his girlfriend, Steenkamp Reeva, in his home in Pretoria, South Africa. In 2014, he was found not guilty of premeditated murder but was guilty of culpable homicide.
During his sporting career days, Pistorius earned huge sums of money. However, much of the money was used during the court proceedings. At the moment, his net worth is around $50,000.
At the moment, Oscar Pistorius is still serving his jail term.
Oscar Pistorius is a former sprint runner who has done exceedingly well despite his physical condition. He endured amputation at infancy, but that did not hinder him from taking up and being actively involved in sports.
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