Johannesburg: Here are some facts on South African athlete Oscar Pistorius.
- Born on November 22, 1986, in Johannesburg.
- Born without fibulas, he has both legs amputated below the knees before turning one-year-old.
- After learning to walk on prosthetic legs, Pistorius becomes a sportsman in high school. He turns to sprint training in 2003 after suffering a serious knee injury playing rugby.
- Running on carbon fibre prosthetic blades, earning him the nickname "Blade Runner", Pistorius becomes a Paralympic gold medallist over 200m in Athens in 2004.
- In January 2008, he is banned from running against able-bodied athletes by the sport`s governing body, the IAAF, which deems that his blades provide an unfair advantage. Four months later the Court for Arbitration for Sport rules he is eligible to compete in IAAF-sanctioned events. Caps year by winning three golds at the Paralympics in Beijing.
- Selected for South Africa`s London Games team and in August 2012 becomes the first double amputee to compete on the track at an Olympic Games, finishing second in his men`s 400m heat, but fails to make the final. He also anchors the relay team to eighth place in the London final.
- Carries the flag for South Africa at the opening ceremony of the London Paralympic Games and wins two gold medals.
- Arrested and charged with murder after firing four shots at his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door at his Pretoria home on February 14, 2013.
- Released on bail later in February
- Faces a trial on murder and weapons charges which will run from March 3 to March 23, 2014
Reuters
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