The former Paralympic athlete was released on probation after serving 9 years in prison for killing his girlfriend
(LaPresse) Oscar Pistorius left Atteridgeville prison (Pretoria), South Africa, on 5 January 2024 after serving nine years in prison for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The former Paralympic athlete is now under house arrest and will continue to serve his sentence on probation. But let’s look back at his story for a moment. Born in Johannesburg on 22 November 1986, his legs were amputated at just 11 months old due to a malformation, fibular hemimelia. Since he was a boy he has practiced various sports from rugby to water polo to athletics. In 2004, at the age of 17, he made his big appointment at the Paralympic Games in Athens and won gold in the 200m and bronze in the 100m. At the Beijing Games in 2008, he repeated himself and won gold in the 100m, 200m, 400m, setting a new Paralympic record. In 2011 he won silver in the 4x100m at the World Athletics Championships in Taegu, South Korea, competing against able-bodied athletes. In 2012 he became the first amputee athlete to compete in the Olympic Games, participating in those in London. The following year, however, was that of tragedy. On 14 February 2013, Pistorius was arrested by the Pretoria police on charges of killing his girlfriend, the 29-year-old model Reeva Steenkamp, with four gunshots. The athlete confesses that he shot her but mistook her for a thief. After several years of trial he was sentenced to 13 years and five months in prison. According to South African law, however, those who have committed serious crimes can access parole after having served half their sentence. (lapresse)
January 5, 2024 – Updated January 5, 2024, 11:53 am
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