Oscar Pistorius
Pistorius in 2011 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname(s) | Blade Runner; the fastest man on no legs; Tink Tink; "Oz" Pistorius[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | South African | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 22 November 1986 Johannesburg, South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | University of Pretoria | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years active | 2004–2013 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.60 m (5.2 ft) (without prosthesis) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 80.6 kg (178 lb) (without prosthesis) (2007)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Running | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Disability | Double below-knee amputee | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Disability class | T43 (competed in T44) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event | Sprint (100, 200, 400 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Highest world ranking | 100 m: 1st (2008)[3] 200 m: 1st (2008)[4] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 100 m (T44): 10.91 s (2007, WR)[6] 200 m (T44): 21.30 s (2012, WR)[7] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| Convictions | Culpable homicide (overturned) (2014) Murder (2016) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Criminal penalty | 5 years imprisonment (2014) 6 years imprisonment (2016) 13 years and 5 months imprisonment (2017)[9] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Capture status | Released on parole after serving 8 years and 6 months (2024) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Details | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Victims | Reeva Steenkamp | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date | 14 February 2013 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weapons | Taurus PT 917 CS 9mm semi-automatic pistol w/ Black Talon ammunition[10] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Imprisoned at | Kgosi Mampuru II jail (2014–2015, 2016) Atteridgeville Correctional Centre (2016–2024) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Updated on 29 August 2018 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius (/pɪˈstɔːriəs/ pist-OR-ee-əs, Afrikaans: [pəˈstuəriœs]; born 22 November 1986) is a South African double amputee, former professional sprinter, and convicted murderer. He was the 10th athlete to compete at both the Paralympic Games and Olympic Games. Pistorius ran in both nondisabled sprint events and in sprint events for below-knee amputees. Both of his legs were amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old as a result of a birth defect; he was born missing the outsides of both feet and both fibulas. Pistorius's athletic career ended when he was convicted of murder in 2015.[11] He was first convicted of culpable homicide of his then-girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, which was subsequently upgraded to murder upon appeal.
After becoming a Paralympic champion, Pistorius attempted to enter nondisabled international competitions, over persistent objections by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and arguments that his artificial limbs gave an unfair advantage. Pistorius prevailed in this legal dispute. At the 2011 World Championships in Athletics, Pistorius was the first amputee to win a nondisabled world track medal. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Pistorius was the first double-leg amputee participant.
On 14 February 2013, Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, a paralegal and model, in his Pretoria home. He claimed he had mistaken Steenkamp for an intruder hiding in the bathroom. He was arrested and charged with murder. At his trial the following year, Pistorius was found not guilty of murder, but guilty of culpable homicide.[12][13][14] He received a five-year prison sentence for culpable homicide and a concurrent three-year suspended sentence for a separate reckless endangerment conviction both in October 2014.[15][16]
Pistorius was temporarily released on house arrest in October 2015 while the case was presented on appeal to a panel at the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa, which overturned the culpable homicide verdict and convicted him of murder.[17][18] In July 2016, Judge Thokozile Masipa extended Pistorius's sentence to six years.[19] On appeal by the state for a longer prison sentence, the Supreme Court of Appeal increased the prison term to a total of 15 years less time served.[20] Pistorius was released on parole on 5 January 2024 after serving a total of 8.5 years in prison, in addition to seven months' house arrest.[21]
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IWASF 200m 2008was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ World wide ranking: T44 male 400 2008, International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation, archived from the original on 15 July 2008, retrieved 19 July 2008
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PB4507was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Although the sentence imposed was actually 15 years imprisonment, the court had taken into account the total time of 1 year and 7 months which he had already served prior to his second sentencing on 6 July 2016, and as such commuted his sentence to 13 years and 5 months.
- ^ Wiener, Mandy; Bateman, Barry (2014). Behind the Door: The Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp Story. London: Pan Macmillan. ISBN 978-1-4472-6259-6.
- ^ Onishi, Norimitsu (3 December 2015). "Oscar Pistorius Guilty in Murder of Reeva Steenkamp, Appeals Court Rules". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 4 December 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
- ^ Germaner, Shain (12 September 2014). "Oscar: the verdict is in". The Star. Archived from the original on 12 September 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
- ^ Phipps, Claire (12 September 2014). "Oscar Pistorius verdict: judge to rule on culpable homicide". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 12 September 2014.
- ^ Davies, Lisa (12 September 2014). "Oscar Pistorius is a convicted killer, but not a murderer". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 13 September 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
- ^ Germaner, Shain (21 October 2014). "Oscar gets 5 years for Reeva's death". The Star. Archived from the original on 26 October 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
- ^ "Oscar Pistorius sentenced to 5 years in jail". News24. 21 October 2014. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
bbc34993002was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Onishi, Norimitsu (3 December 2015). "Oscar Pistorius Guilty in Murder of Reeva Steenkamp, Appeals Court Rules". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 4 December 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
- ^ "Oscar Pistorius given six years for Reeva Steenkamp murder". BBC News. 6 July 2016. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
- ^ "SCA increases Oscar Pistorius's murder sentence to 13 years". News 24. Archived from the original on 15 November 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
- ^ Chutel, Lynsey (5 January 2024). "Oscar Pistorius, Olympic Athlete Convicted of Murder, Is Released". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2024.