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South African athlete Oscar Pistorius will not compete again this year as he awaits trial for murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Paralympic gold medallist Oscar Pistorius, 26, is on bail after being charged with the murder of 29-year-old Reeva Steenkamp but can compete before his court case is heard.

His agent, Peet van Zyl, said the six-time Paralympic champion was not mentally ready to return to the track.

“There was never any pressure from me or his coach (Ampie Louw) to return, it’s his decision,” said Peet van Zyl.

It means Oscar Pistorius will not compete in the IPC World Championships in Lyon in July.

Oscar Pistorius was arrested after shooting Reeva Steenkamp dead on February 14 and has not competed since.

Oscar Pistorius will not compete again this year as he awaits trial for murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

Oscar Pistorius will not compete again this year as he awaits trial for murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

The double amputee, known as Blade Runner because of the carbon fibre prosthetic blades he races in, claimed he mistook Reeva Steenkamp for a burglar and has denied murder.

On February 22, Oscar Pistorius was granted bail and had certain conditions lifted which meant he could compete in events outside his homeland.

Coach Ampie Louw was quoted by Eye Witness News in South Africa as saying his athlete was “nowhere close” to being in a position to train.

Oscar Pistorius had not been invited to compete in July’s London Anniversary Games, with UK Athletics chairman Ed Warner saying he did not want the meeting to turn into a “media circus”.

However, Oscar Pistorius’s agent said plenty of meeting organisers had been in touch to invite athlete to compete in their events.

“[There] were a good number, enough to keep him busy through the year,” added Peet van Zyl.

At London 2012, Oscar  Pistorius became the first double amputee to run at an Olympics, taking part in both the 400 m and 4×400 m relay.

He then won gold medals in the T44 400 m and T42-46 4×100 m at the Paralympics, as well as silver in the T44 200 m.

Oscar Pistorius is next due in court on June 4 and a trial is expected to take place before the end of this year.

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South African Paralympic Oscar Pistorius appears to be back at the track for the first time since he was charged with murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day this year.

Oscar Pistorius, 26, is pictured with his hands on his hips wearing his blades as he walks across a running track as his agent said his return to training was imminent.

The double amputee Olympian is keen to begin training again – just weeks after he appeared weeping in court charged with the death of Reeva Steenkamp and despite facing a murder trial.

The Afrikaans-language Beeld newspaper printed the image of what it said was Oscar Pistorius on the front page of its Thursday edition.

In the photo, Oscar Pistorius is seen from some distance wearing his blades and dark lycra running clothes and is walking on a track with his hands on his hips.

The Beeld said the photo was taken on March 24 by a high school student visiting the University of Pretoria, where Oscar Pistorius’ regular practice facility is.

It was the first time Oscar Pistorius had put his blades on since he shot dead Reeva Steenkamp in his home his agent, Peet van Zyl, said, but it was not a training session.

Oscar Pistorius appears to be back at the track for the first time since he was charged with murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

Oscar Pistorius appears to be back at the track for the first time since he was charged with murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

Oscar Pistorius was only “having a jog around the track”, the agent said, as the newspaper claimed sources had told it the Olympic 400-meter runner and Paralympic champion had begun full training on March 21.

Peet Van Zyl disputed that and said neither he nor Ampie Louw, Oscar Pistorius’ coach and the man who controls his training sessions, were present at the track on the day the photograph was taken.

The single photo, a grainy image taken through a metal fence showing Oscar Pistorius walking on the far side of the track, was accompanied by a front-page story under the headlines “Oscar is back on the track” and “In training with other athletes”.

However, while Oscar Pistorius wasn’t yet in a training routine, his return could be any day now, his agent said.

“He was just having a jog around his track on his own accord. He wasn’t back at training,” Peet Van Zyl said.
“That picture was taken by a schoolkid on March 24. Myself, Oscar and his coach had a meeting on Tuesday to discuss him getting him back to training.

“Based on that he told us he would like to get back in training and we can now look at formulating his training schedule.

“He is finding it very difficult and he is still coming to terms with the sad loss of Reeva. That is why it will be better for him to be back at training. It will be great to get him back to the track and get some routine. That’s why we are taking it day by day.”

While a return to training might be on the cards for Oscar Pistorius, who holds several IPC World Championship titles over 200 metres, 400m and 4x400m, Peet Van Zyl revealed there is currently no plan regarding his competitive return, if he is invited to compete.

“We haven’t even spoken to him or contemplated him running in a competition,” Peet Van Zyl said.

“He has got to be able to train first and be in some decent form as a world-class athlete before we would allow him to run in a competition.

“If he trains well and his mindset is right then by all means we will look at competitions and options. When that will be we don’t know. It could happen quickly or it could take a year.

“But at the moment, there is no specific date when it comes to him returning to training.

“In the current state he is in he might get up tomorrow and give the coach a phone call and say he might want to train again. He then might not want to train for a few days.

“We are not going to force him. We are going to be guided by him.”

Oscar Pistorius’ family also said: “Oscar is not back on any official training programme.

“This may change in future, but this will be a decision taken by Oscar, and Oscar alone. At this point Oscar is still in an extremely traumatized state and has made it clear to all of us that he is not able or willing to even contemplate this issue at this stage.

“We can confirm that we did have a meeting with Oscar yesterday where various family members and his trainer were present.

“We all encouraged him to get back onto the track to help stabilize him emotionally.

“Oscar has been out running on a number of isolated occasions in the days following the relaxation of his bail conditions, but each time has been very difficult and he has <<struggled immensely>> with the decision to even leave the house.

“As a family however we encourage him to start exercising as we believe it is a vital step in helping him deal with the trauma.”

Peet Van Zyl insisted Oscar Pistorius’ desire to start training again did not show disrespect to the family of Reeva Steenkamp.

“I can’t see there would be any people saying this is disrespectful. This is not disrespectful to Reeva or her family.

“This has been part of his life for so many years. If it makes things easier for him to work through it and get some sense back into his life, let him run and let him jog.

“He’s a human being and that’s maybe an outlet for him.”

Oscar Pistorius denies murder in the Valentine’s Day killing of model Reeva Steenkamp, saying he mistook her for a nighttime intruder in his home.

The athlete’s next scheduled court appearance is June 4, when prosecutors say they intend to serve indictments.

Oscar Pistorius is free to compete in the UK this summer after a judge relaxed his bail terms in March to allow him to make money.

It is certain to prove controversial as it potentially paves the way for Oscar Pistorius, one of the world’s most successful athletes, to earn vast sums of money while he is awaiting trial.

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South African Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius might consider competing at this year’s World Athletics Championships in Moscow, his agent has told the Associated Press.

Oscar Pistorius, who has run at both the Olympics and Paralympics, is charged with murdering girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp but will be allowed to travel abroad after challenging his bail terms.

“If he is up for it and qualifies, the World Championships will definitely be on the radar,” Peet van Zyl told AP.

The 14th World Athletics Championships will be held in Moscow from August 10 to August 18.

Oscar Pistorius might consider competing at this year's World Athletics Championships in Moscow

Oscar Pistorius might consider competing at this year’s World Athletics Championships in Moscow

Oscar Pistorius, 26, nicknamed the Blade Runner because of his prosthetic legs, is accused of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, who was shot and killed at his home in Pretoria on February 14.

The athlete denies murdering the 29-year-old, saying he mistook her for an intruder.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), which is the body responsible for the World Championships, said Oscar Pistorius would be “free to run” in Moscow in August on the “basis of the<<innocent until proven guilty>> principle”.

“He’s going to be the one that determines running and training,” Oscar Pistorius’s agent added.

“It’s his call. He’s the one under all the pressure for the court case and grieving for Reeva.’’

Oscar Pistorius must meet certain conditions to be allowed to travel abroad. They include providing an itinerary of his plans at least a week before he is due to leave the country.

The South African was one of the star attractions at the 2012 Olympics in London, becoming the first double amputee to run at an Olympics by taking part in both the 400m and 4x100m.

Oscar Pistorius then won gold medals in the T44 400m and T42-46 4x100m at the Paralympics, as well as silver in the T44 200m.

The International Paralympic Committee said it would discuss the matter of Oscar Pistorius competing again following the Easter break.

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Reeva Steenkamp’s family has categorically denied that she was pregnant when Oscar Pistorius shot and killed her.

The National Enquirer reported earlier this week that Reeva Steenkamp told Oscar Pistorius that she was pregnant to placate him after he accused her of cheating on him.

But today family spokesman Mike Steenkamp denied the reports were true and said the model’s mother, June Steenkamp, would have known.

“The post mortem would have revealed if Reeva was pregnant and it did not reveal anything like this. Maybe it comes from the other side, to garner and build up some sort of support for Oscar,” June Steenkamp told Times Live.

Oscar Pistorius claims he killed Reeva Steenkamp accidentally, opening fire after mistaking her for an intruder in his bathroom. But prosecutors say the athlete intentionally shot her in cold blood after the couple had an argument.

The National Enquirer reported on Monday that the argument was sparked by the news that Oscar Pistorius was about to become a father.

A source close to investigation told the Enquirer: “Police believe the preg­nancy secret she revealed is what sent Pistorius over the edge and left her dead, with bullet wounds to the head, chest, pelvis and hand.”

The source added: “Later that night, neighbors com­plained of shouting and fighting coming from the house.

“Police were called to in­vestigate, but it appeared to be just another lover’s spat, so nothing was done except to ask them to quiet down.”

Reeva Steenkamp’s family has categorically denied that she was pregnant when Oscar Pistorius shot and killed her

Reeva Steenkamp’s family has categorically denied that she was pregnant when Oscar Pistorius shot and killed her

It’s the latest lurid claim to hit the case, which has seen numerous sensational allegations in the wake of Reeva Steenkamp’s death. However, it remains unconfirmed in South Africa.

Oscar Pistorius, who had both of his legs amputated below the knee when he was just 11 months old, competed on a set of prosthetic blades, earning him the nickname “blade runner”.

He has competed as a sprinter in each of the Paralympic Summer Games since 2004 until running alongside able-bodied athletes in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

But his days as a runner will be numbered if he’s found guilty of Reeva Steenkamp’s murder.

The National Enquirer: WORLD EXCLUSIVE! BLADE RUNNER¿S GIRLFRIEND WAS PREGNANT!

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South African police believe that Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius may have beaten his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp with a cricket bat before shooting her.

Detectives are reported to have recovered a bloodied bat from Oscar Pistorius’ bedroom and to have established that model Reeva Steenkamp’s skull had been “crushed”.

This and other evidence – a smashed bathroom door, a 9 mm pistol, the peculiar pattern of wounds on the body and reports of a row earlier in the evening – is said to have led them to believe the murder case against the sprinter is “rock solid”.

Reeva Steenkamp, 29, was shot four times early on Thursday at Oscar Pistorius’ luxury mansion in a secure housing estate on the outskirts of Pretoria.

Police have rubbished speculation that Oscar Pistorius – who is known to have kept a pistol by his bed and a machine gun at his bedroom window – may have mistaken his girlfriend of three months for an intruder.

Prosecutors have formally charged Oscar Pistorius with premeditated murder but the Blade Runner’s family say he firmly denies such a charge.

Yesterday it emerged that he called his close friend Justin Divaris shortly after the killing – reportedly before the emergency services were alerted – and told him: “There has been a terrible accident, I shot Reeva.”

Justin Divaris rushed to the sportsman’s house, where he said Oscar Pistorius repeatedly told him: “My baba, I’ve killed my baba. God take me away.”

While no officials would comment publicly on the case, a disturbing – though disputed – picture of what may have happened in Oscar Pistorius’ home started to emerge.

Neighbors have said they heard shouting coming from the house at around 1.30 a.m. There were some suggestions, quickly denied, that the row may have been about Reeva Steenkamp’s friendship with a rugby player.

At around 3.20 a.m., four shots rang out – apparently not all at once. The first person Oscar Pistorius called was his father Henke, 59.

When Henke Pistorius arrived, he allegedly saw his son carrying his nightie-clad girlfriend down the stairs.

She had been shot in the head, hip, arm and hand. Pistorius – and later paramedics – struggled in vain to save Reeva Steenkamp’s life.

Police reportedly found the bloodied cricket bat in the bedroom. The en-suite bathroom door was riddled with holes, a pistol holster was found by oscar Pistorius’ bed and a gun cartridge was on the floor.

South Africa’s City Press quoted an unnamed police source as saying: “The suspicion is that the first shot, in the bedroom, hit her in the hip. She then ran and locked herself in the toilet.

“She was doubled over because of the pain. He fired three more shots. She probably covered her head, which is why the bullet also went through her hand.”

South African police believe that Oscar Pistorius may have beaten his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp with a cricket bat before shooting her

South African police believe that Oscar Pistorius may have beaten his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp with a cricket bat before shooting her

The source said police are carrying out tests to establish whose blood is on the bat.

While one scenario is that Oscar Pistorius attacked Reeva Steenkamp with the wooden bat, it has also been claimed that the model may have used it to defend herself.

A third possibility is that Oscar Pistorius used it to break down the bathroom door. Those close to Oscar Pistorius have suggested that he may done so in a bid to “save” his dying girlfriend.

According to this theory, the athlete first shot Reeva Steenkamp by accident, whereupon she fled to the bathroom. He then shot at the door lock to try to get in, accidentally killing her.

Oscar Pistorius’ father appeared to suggest it is this version that he believes.

While he admitted that he had not talked to his son in detail about what happened, he said he had “zero doubt” that the sportsman thought Reeva Steenkamp was an intruder.

A more likely defence from Oscar Pistorius is to acknowledge that there was a row but that he did not intend to kill her.

Some in South Africa have speculated about the nature of Reeva Steenkamp’s friendship with Springbok rugby player Francois Hougaard, and whether this played a part in the tragedy.

Francois Hougaard, 24, was keen to distance himself from such reports at the weekend. His agent said: “This whole sad ordeal has got nothing to do with him.”

Last night Oscar Pistorius’ agent said he had withdrawn him from all planned races but insisted his sponsors were sticking by him.

The tragedy has also cast fresh light on Oscar Pistorius’ apparent attraction to danger and weaponry.

As well as owning a pistol and machine gun, at the time of Reeva Steenkamp’s death he reportedly had seven outstanding firearm licence applications.

One was for same type of assault rifle used in the recent Sandy Hook school massacre in the US.

Oscar Pistorius, who was charged with premeditated murder at a court appearance on Friday, spent the weekend in a police cell ahead of a second hearing planned for tomorrow at which his lawyers are expected to ask for bail.

Police say they will oppose the request.

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New reports claimed today that Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius “carried his dying girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp downstairs and tried to resuscitate her as he desperately attempted to save her life”.

Oscar Pistorius, 26, allegedly cradled Reeva Steenkamp, who he allegedly shot four times, as he tried to stop her dying, performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on the 29-year-old.

It was reported that Reeva Steenkamp was still breathing when paramedics and security guards rushed to the house.

But paramedics were unable to revive the model and she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Sources told Beeld, the Afrikaans language newspaper, that security guards heard the shots and rushed to the house, where they saw Oscar Pistorius running down the stairs with the law graduate in his arms.
Oscar Pistorius is said to be on suicide watch due to fears the blade runner might take his own life over charges for the “pre-planned” murder of Reeva Steenkamp, it emerged last night.

The athlete, who wept in the dock yesterday after being charged with shooting dead law graduate Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day, is being held at Brooklyn Police Station prison in Pretoria.

A source said: “Oscar is innocent but he feels as though he has descended into hell. He is absolutely devastated and struggling to deal with his emotions.”

The source told The Sun: “He’s been given a cell to himself at the police station but there are criminals in cells around him and he doesn’t belong there. There are police concerns over his mental state.”

At his hearing earlier yesterday Oscar Pistorius remained silent during the 40 minute hearing but his family and management issued a joint statement insisting: “The alleged murder is disputed in the strongest possible terms.”

It was reported yesterday that Reeva Steenkamp had been hit four times by bullets fired through the door of a bathroom at the luxury complex on the outskirts of Pretoria where Pistorius, a keen marksman, kept a pistol and machine gun.

Reeva Steenkamp, who had only been going out with Oscar Pistorius since November, is said to have been hit in the head, chest, pelvis and hand.

Beeld newspaper said: “The security guards found Pistorius by Steenkamp’s body in the bathroom,” and quoted a neighbour as saying: “The door had bullet holes right through it.”

A 9mm pistol said to have been owned by Oscar Pistorius was seen in a plastic exhibits bag being carried by police officers investigating the killing which has shocked the world.

Oscar Pistorius carried his dying girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp downstairs and tried to resuscitate her as he desperately attempted to save her life

Oscar Pistorius carried his dying girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp downstairs and tried to resuscitate her as he desperately attempted to save her life

There were gasps from some of the 100 people crowded into Courtroom C of the Magistrates Court as Oscar Pistorius stood with head bowed in front of Chief Magistrate Desmond Nair to the hear the murder charge read out, then started weeping, covering his face with his hands.

“Take it easy,” Desmond Nair told him.

“Come take a seat.”

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel told the Pretoria court they would argue the shooting of Reeva Steenkamp, a former TV presenter, in the early hours of Thursday was premeditated.

They will tell the court that neighbors heard screaming and shouting from the mansion on the high security Silver Lakes Estate – there had been no robberies there for the past five years – followed by a shot.

Mention of the word “pre-meditated” caused Oscar Pistorius to slump forward and he could be seen to be breathing heavily through his hands.

Lawyers for Oscar Pistorius, who in London last year became the first athlete to compete at both an Olympic and Paralympic Games, are said to be preparing to argue the shooting was a tragic accident.

If found guilty of premeditated murder, Oscar Pistorius faces an automatic life sentence. He would not be eligible to be considered for parole until he is aged 51.

Police have dismissed initial claims that Oscar Pistorius had mistakenly shot his girlfriend believing she was an intruder.

Oscar Pistorius, who was dressed in a grey suit and blue tie, had been expected to apply for bail, but this has been postponed until Tuesday after the defence and prosecution agreed to allow more time for this to be heard.

He will be held in custody at Brooklyn Prison in Pretoria, next door to the firearms registration centre, until then.

Oscar Pistorius said nothing during the 40-minute hearing. His father, Henke, sister Aimee and brother, Carl, sat directly behind him in the packed court-room, occasionally leaning forward to give him a supportive pat on the shoulder.

As the athlete began to weep, Carl Pistorius lent forward and laid a hand on his brother, squeezing him slightly.

His family later issued a staunch denial of the allegation.

They said: “Firstly, and most importantly, all our thoughts today must be with the family and friends of Reeva Steenkamp.

“Oscar Pistorius has made history as an Olympic and Paralympic sportsman and has been an inspiration to others the world over.

“He has made it very clear that he would like to send his deepest sympathies to the family of Reeva.

“He would also like to express his thanks through us for all the messages of support he has received – but as stated our thoughts and prayers today should be for Reeva and her family, regardless of the circumstances of this terrible, terrible tragedy.”

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Oscar Pistorius has strongly rejected a charge that he murdered his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

Reeva Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, was shot dead at South African Olympic and Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius’s home near Pretoria on Thursday.

Appearing in court in Pretoria, Oscar Pistorius, 26, wept as prosecutors vowed to pursue a charge of premeditated murder.

An application for bail was postponed until next Tuesday and the athlete will remain in police custody.

Dubbed “blade runner”, he made history last summer by becoming the first double-amputee track athlete to run in an Olympic Games.

“The alleged murder is disputed in the strongest terms,” said a statement released by Oscar Pistorius’s family and management company after the court hearing.

“Our thoughts and prayers today should be for Reeva and her family – regardless of the circumstances of this terrible, terrible tragedy,” it said.

They were the first words released on behalf of Oscar Pistorius since Reeva Steenkamp was found fatally wounded at his home in the gated Silver Woods development outside the South African capital.

But they gave no explanation of what had happened.

Hours earlier, Oscar Pistorius sobbed audibly during his initial appearance at Pretoria Magistrates Court.

Dozens of reporters witnessed the hearing, where chief magistrate Desmond Nair was presiding.

The defendant cut a lonely figure in a crowded court, with his hands clenched and his neck muscles twitching, before he held his head forward, breathing heavily through tears.

When Prosecutor Gerrie Nel argued for the graver charge of “premeditated murder”, Oscar Pistorius slumped forward at the mention of the words.

If convicted of premeditated murder, Oscar Pistorius will face a life term in prison. But his defence is seeking a lesser charge, possibly culpable homicide, which is defined in South African law as unlawful, negligent killing.

Oscar Pistorius has strongly rejected a charge that he murdered his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp

Oscar Pistorius has strongly rejected a charge that he murdered his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp

Media access was discussed at the 40-minute session and the magistrate ruled that there should be no live recording of the bail hearings.

Oscar Pistorius’s team had argued against such coverage and cited his “extremely traumatized state of mind”.

Both prosecution and defence agreed Oscar Pistorius could remain in custody at a police station and not in prison.

Members of Oscar Pistorius’s family, including sister Aimee, brother Carl and father Henke, were in the courtroom.

His brother and father, sitting behind the athlete, reached forward to touch his shoulder during the proceedings.

Oscar Pistorius had earlier arrived at court in the back of a police vehicle, hiding his face with a jacket and notebook.

Forensic scientists are expected to continue examining the house in the Silver Lakes area on the outskirts of South Africa’s administrative capital where Reeva Steenkamp died.

Correspondents say the athlete’s arrest has stunned the country where he is considered a national hero.

Oscar Pistorius is known as “blade runner” because of the carbon fibre prosthetic blades he races in. He was born without a fibula in both legs and had his legs amputated below the knee before his first birthday.

Police were called to his home in the early hours of Thursday morning.

They found paramedics treating a 29-year-old woman with four gunshot wounds to the head and upper body. She died at the scene, and officers recovered a 9mm pistol.

A post-mortem examination was carried out on Friday but the results would not be made public, police said.

Reeva Steenkamp’s body is due to be flown home to Port Elizabeth for a memorial service next Tuesday, South African media report – the same day that Oscar Pistorius is next expected in court.

They had reportedly been dating since November.

Model Reeva Steenkamp was already well known in South Africa but was seen as being on the verge of a new career, with her appearance in a pre-recorded reality TV show set to start on Saturday.

The producers of Tropika Island of Treasure said they were going ahead with the programme, filmed in Jamaica, after “much deliberation“.

“Every episode that she is in, every frame that she so ably dominates – shines with her light and her laughter echoes in every conversation, and we want to share these special memories with the rest of South Africa,” the programme said.

Meanwhile, world athletics figures spoke of their shock at what had happened.

His training partner, UK 400 m runner Martyn Rooney, released a statement saying his “thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of those involved”.

“I’ve not heard what he has to say. I wouldn’t want to be in his situation, but I hope that, at the end of it all, justice will prevail,” said Jamaica’s Olympic women’s 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

Oscar Pistorius dominated in his category at successive Paralympic Games, but in 2008 he won a legal battle over his blades – which critics said gave him an unfair advantage – with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) for the right to compete in able-bodied competitions.

He reached the 40 0m semi-finals in the London 2012 Olympics. At the Paralympics he won silver in the T44 200 m, gold in the 4×100 m relay and gold in the T44 400 m, setting a Paralympic record.

South Africa has one of the highest rates of crime in the world and many residents keep weapons to protect themselves against intruders.

But gun ownership is strictly regulated and it is not easy to obtain a licence.

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Oscar Pistorius is appearing in court to face a murder charge after his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, was shot at his mansion near Pretoria.

South African Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius held his head in his hands and was in tears as the murder charge was formally read out in the magistrates’ court.

A decision will be taken on whether the athlete should be granted bail.

Prosecutors will argue that Oscar Pistorius should remain in custody.

Dozens of photographers are in the courtroom in Pretoria, where chief magistrate Desmond Nair is hearing the bail application.

The defendant cut a lonely figure, with his head forward and breathing heavily through tears.

It is likely that some details of both the case against the 26-year-old, and his defence, will be revealed.

Television cameras have been allowed in court for the hearing and media access is now being discussed. Members of Oscar Pistorius’s family, including his sister and father, are in the courtroom.

Oscar Pistorius has undergone medical and DNA tests. His lawyer, Kenny Oldwage, earlier said that his client was “very well, obviously emotional, but fine”.

The defence is expected to argue that Oscar Pistorius is not a flight risk and should be given bail.

Forensic experts are expected to continue examining the house in the upmarket Silver Woods gated community on the outskirts of South Africa’s administrative capital where Reeva Steenkamp, 29, died.

Correspondents say the athlete’s arrest has stunned the country where Oscar Pistorius is considered a national hero.

Oscar Pistorius is appearing in court to face a murder charge after his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, was shot at his mansion near Pretoria

Oscar Pistorius is appearing in court to face a murder charge after his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, was shot at his mansion near Pretoria

Oscar Pistorius made history in London last year when he became the first double-amputee track athlete to compete in the Olympic Games.

He is known as the “blade runner” because of the carbon fibre prosthetic blades he races in. He was born without a fibula in both legs and had his legs amputated below the knee before his first birthday.

Police were called to Oscar Pistorius’ home in the early hours of Thursday morning.

They found paramedics treating a 29-year-old woman with four gunshot wounds to the head and upper body. She died at the scene, and officers recovered a 9mm pistol.

Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp had reportedly been dating since November.

The athelete dominated in his category at successive Paralympic Games, but in 2008 he won a legal battle over his blades – which critics said gave him an unfair advantage – with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) for the right to compete in able-bodied competitions.

Oscar Pistorius reached the 400m semi-finals in the London 2012 Olympics. At the Paralympics he won silver in the T44 200m, gold in the 4×100 relay and gold in the T44 400m, setting a Paralympic record.

South Africa has one of the highest rates of crime in the world and many residents keep weapons to protect themselves against intruders.

But gun ownership is strictly regulated and it is not easy to obtain a licence.

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Athlete Oscar Pistorius, the world’s most famous Paralympian and the first to compete in the able-bodied Olympics, has a notoriously complex love life.

Prior to their split late last year, Oscar Pistorius spent a year and a half dating Cape Town marketing student Samantha Taylor.

But even while he was with Samantha Taylor, he was linked with numerous other women, including Russian model Anastassia Khozissova.

Oscar Pistorius was first seen with Reeva Steenkamp at an awards ceremony in South Africa last November. At the time, the FHM model said the pair were “just friends”.

When it became clear that Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp were in fact dating, the sportsman’s then ex-Samantha Taylor said: “Oscar has such a way with women. She’s probably not the only one he’s got.”

Samatha Taylor went on to tell South Africa’s City Press newspaper that “Oscar is certainly not what people think he is”.

Oscar Pistorius has a history of risk taking and violence.

In November last year, Oscar Pistorius reportedly “threatened to break the legs” of the friend of a man whom he believed had slept with his then girlfriend, who is not Reeva Steenkamp.

According to newspaper reports, Oscar Pistorius approached South African football player Marc Batchelor in the VIP room of a horse racing track and verbally threatened him.

In 2009, Oscar Pistorius spent a night in police cells after a woman complained to police that he had assaulted her during a party at his house.

The incident allegedly occurred at the same Silver Woods home as where Reeva Steenkamp died.

Although Oscar Pistorius was charged with assault, he was eventually released with a warning.

At the time, police spokeswoman Sergeant Marinda Stoltz said the victim, whom Oscar Pistorius had told to leave, banged and kicked his front door.

“He [Oscar Pistorius] told the girl <<this is my house and my friends and you have to leave>>. He then started closing the door when a wooden beam weighing about 1,5kg fell on her leg and injured her.”

Marinda Stoltz said the girl reported the incident hours later.

“The girl then also admitted that she had been drinking,” she said.

Oscar Pistorius’ determination to succeed also seems to be accompanied by a taste for danger.

He has a large collection of sports cars and motorbikes and he routinely sleeps with a pistol next to his bed and a machine gun by a window.

In an interview in the New York Times entitled The Fast Life of Oscar Pistorius, he invited the reporter to a gun range where he taught him how to shoot.

The reporter said: “He [Oscar Pistorius] fetched his 9-millimeter handgun and two boxes of ammunition. We drove to a nearby firing range, where he instructed me on proper technique.

“Pistorius was a good coach. A couple of my shots got close to the bull’s-eye, which delighted him. <<Maybe you should do this more>>, he said. <<If you practiced, I think you could be pretty deadly>>. I asked him how often he came to the range. <<Just sometimes when I can’t sleep>>.”

In 2008, Oscar Pistorius broke two ribs and had 172 stitches in his face when he crashed a boat into a submerged pier on a river south of Johannesburg.

In an interview published last year the sportsman admitted that his got the large tattoo – a quote from Corinthians – on his shoulder on a whim.

“I went into an all-night tattoo parlour,” he told the New York Times Magazine.

“Some Puerto Rican guy did it. It took from 2 a.m. to about 8:30.

“I think he was falling asleep after a while, which is why it’s a little squiggly at the bottom.”

In the magazine feature, the author concluded that Oscar Pistorius “is more than a little crazy”.

Oscar Pistorius, the world's most famous Paralympian and the first to compete in the able-bodied Olympics, has a notoriously complex love life

Oscar Pistorius, the world’s most famous Paralympian and the first to compete in the able-bodied Olympics, has a notoriously complex love life

Oscar Pistorius was born 26 years ago into a prominent family in Pretoria without fibulas, the outer of the bones that run between the knee and the ankle.

His parents, Sheila and Henke Pistorius, grappled with information, complied with doctors’ advice, and at 11 months his legs were amputated below the knee.

“It was a hugely emotional decision,” said Dr. Gerry Versfeld, the orthopaedic surgeon who performed the operation.

“It is easier now to convince somebody the right way to go is amputation because Oscar Pistorius is an icon you can point to and say, <<Look, this is possible>>.”

Much of his success is attributed to the fact he was always treated as a “normal little boy”.

By the time he arrived at Constantina Kloof Primary School aged five, Oscar Pistorius had been walking on his rigid glass fibre prosthetic legs for almost four years. Usually he ran.

One of Oscar Pistorius’s first memories is hurtling down a hill on a go-kart with his brother, Carl, who then decided to use one of Oscar’s prostheses as an impromptu brake to stop them crashing.

“My brother was like my hero when I was growing up,” said Oscar Pistorius.

“He’s a year and a bit older. We’re still very close. We stayed on a plot that was near an informal settlement, like a township, and we used to go and play football with the kids there and we used to have so much fun.

“We would build tree houses in the holiday and we had motorbikes on a track in our garden. It’s nice to have someone who pushes you to do things. You’re always trying to compete with him.”

Oscar Pistorius was in high school when he showed up at Jannie Brooks’s garage gym in Pretoria, South Africa, with a group of friends looking to get fitter.

He boxed, skipped and did press-ups until he threw up. It was six months before Jannie Brooks realized he had no legs.

“He was just one of the bunch, doing everything at the same pace as everybody else,” he said.

“Between the classroom and the fields there were two sets of stairs,” said Tessa Shellard, who taught Oscar Pistorius maths and PE.

“I used to cringe because he would always run down. I closed my eyes waiting for him to fall. But he never did.

“His legs would chafe and give him enormous blisters on his stumps but he did rugby, cricket, football and absolutely everything else.

“He wasn’t quick at all because of his heavy legs but in inter-house athletics, Oscar would do the sprints every year knowing full well he would come last.”

His can-do attitude made him popular with classmates. During annual triathlons, one friend would carry him on his back while carrying his legs. When it came to the swimming, he threw his legs on to the side of the pool and dived straight in. At cycling, Oscar Pistorius would do 20 km stretches as a 12-year-old without complaint.

Hugh Herr, director of the Biomechatronics Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a close friend of Oscar Pistorius, said his quick cycling is because his hips are a “huge engine”. This also allows him to reposition his limbs quicker and complete the 400 m, his favored event, in a personal best of 45.07sec, a time never thought possible for an amputee.

At 13, Oscar Pistorius began boarding at Pretoria Boys School.

“During the admissions interview I had concerns about how a legless boy would fare with the rough and tumble of a school of 1500 teenagers,” said Bill Shroeder, headteacher of the school until 2009.

“All his mother could say was, <<Of course he’ll cope>>. That was how she brought him up – to be completely normal.”

Oscar Pistorius went down in school folklore when, during a rugby match, a player from the opposite team tackled him.

“His legs came off in the boy’s arms,” said Bill Shroeder.

“But he carried on running over the line, I think the other kid still has nightmares.”

Oscar Pistorius threw himself into sport following his mother’s death when he was 15, but suffered a knee injury playing rugby in 2003. He did athletics as a form of rehab at the University of Pretoria.

Less than a year later, Oscar Pistorius lit up the Athens Paralympics aged 17, winning gold in the 200 m and bronze in the 100 m in the T44 class, which also includes single below-the-knee amputees.

“Within months he was an icon,” said Bill Shroeder.

“My biggest challenge was keeping a teenager who was the envy of every kid on the straight and narrow.”

He was expected to take home a haul of paralympic golds at London 2012 but failed to deliver.

His first final was in the 200 m, where he finished a shock second to Brazilian Alan Oliveira and accused rivals in an angry outburst, including his young conqueror, of running on blades that were too long.

Then Oscar Pistorius had to settle for fourth place in the 100 m individual event when the glory went to Britain’s new track icon, Jonnie Peacock.

But this defeat and the outburst were followed by a measure of redemption when Oscar Pistorius anchored his country’s 4 x 100 m relay gold in a world record time.

Books and memorabilia of heroes from Nelson Mandela to Iron Mike Tyson, from Sir Bobby Charlton to Valentino Rossi, now fill the shelves and walls of his Pretoria home, a sprawling mansion on the Silverwoods Golf Estate, where he allegedly shot dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at 4:00 a.m. this morning.

Oscar Pistorius allegedly shot her four times in the head, chest and arms with a 9 mm handgun.

Local media have claimed Oscar Pistorius did so either by accident in a Valentine’s Day surprise gone wrong or having mistaken Reeva Steenkamp for an intruder.

Neither claim has been confirmed.

Oscar Pistorius’ father Henke, meanwhile said: “If anyone makes a statement, it will have to be Oscar. He’s sad at the moment.”

His publicist, Peet van Zyl, said: “Oscar is a humble person and lovely guy – am sure what’s happened was terrible mistake.”

Oscar Pistorius’ sporting trophies, including the first award he won as a 12-year-old wrestler and that famous TV camera that marks him out as a recipient of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award for remarkable courage in the face of adversity, take up the space next to the whisky cabinet and pictures of his racehorses.

The sportsman, once voted South Africa’s sexiest celebrity now earns more than $1.5 million a year in deals to promote everything from perfume to groceries and telecommunications.

If Oscar Pistorius is charged and convicted with murder, he is unlikely to serve life in prison as the country’s full term imprisonment rule only kicks in for premeditated murder.

But there is also a chance he may escape punishment.

In 2004 charges against a South African rugby player who shot and killed his daughter were dropped when the country’s prosecuting agency decided he had suffered enough.

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Reeva Steenkamp, the girlfriend of “Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius, had her promising young life cut tragically short today after she was allegedly shot dead by the Paralympian at his mansion.

Reeva Steenkamp, 29, was about to embark on the next stage of her dynamic and varied career as a TV star when she was killed in what may have been a Valentine’s Day surprise that went horribly wrong.

She was shot in the head, the chest and the arm at around 4:00 a.m. this morning, South African police have said.

Oscar Pistorius, who reportedly may have mistaken her for a burglar, will appear in court charged with her murder later this morning.

Reeva Steenkamp’s publicist, Sarit Tomlinson, said the couple had been together for a “couple of months” in what had been a “healthy, fabulous relationship”.

Sarit Tomlinson told Sky News: “She was the sweetest human being and an absolute angel on earth. She was the kindest, most unbelievable girl.

“At the moment it’s shocking. No-one knows what’s happened. She was a rising star. There was so much in the pipeline for her: she was just about to explode into the media.

“She was a very talented, very bright young girl. It’s too shocking for words. It is a huge loss for everyone and our condolences go out to her family. It is about them right now.”

Just yesterday, Reeva Steenkamp spoke excitedly on Twitter about her plans for Valentine’s Day.

She said: “What do you have up your sleeve for your love tomorrow??? #getexcited #ValentinesDay.”

Replying to a follower, Reeva Steenkamp later added: “That sounds amazing! Wow that’s what it’s all about! It should be a day of love for everyone 🙂 may it be blessed!”

Just last Sunday Reeva Steenkamp was quoted in a local newspaper as saying that Oscar Pistorius was “an impeccable man who always has her best interests at heart”.

And on February 1, Reeva Steenkamp tweeted to Oscar Pistorius telling him he was “beautiful”.

She wrote: “He certainly doesn’t need more followers but he’s beautiful to look at & says some smart stuff too ;)”

This weekend, Reeva Steenkamp was set to star in South African reality television series Tropika Island Of Treasure, in which celebrities and ordinary people compete in remote, exotic locations in a variety of daily challenges.

On the show’s website, a tribute to Reeva Steenkamp says: “We are deeply saddened and extend our condolences to Reeva’s family and friends.”

Reeva Steenkamp, the girlfriend of “Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius, had her promising young life cut tragically short today after she was allegedly shot dead by the Paralympian at his mansion

Reeva Steenkamp, the girlfriend of “Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius, had her promising young life cut tragically short today after she was allegedly shot dead by the Paralympian at his mansion

Reeva Steenkamp was born in Cape Town on August 19, 1983, and moved to Port Elizabeth as a child.

She graduated with a law degree, but made a dynamic career change after being scouted and named the first face of cosmetics giant Avon South Africa.

Reeva Steenkamp moved to Johannesburg six years ago and since then has travelled between the city and Cape Town to film and shoot some of South Africa’s leading campaigns and commercials.

Toyota, FHM, Clover and Italian brand Zui are some of the more prestigious clients she has worked for.

With a background in TV presenting – she was once the live roaming presenter for FashionTV in South Africa – Reeva Steenkamp had recently been working on some major projects that include smaller TV roles as well as a lead in a new reality TV show.

According to her Facebook page, Reeva Steenkamp had a passion for cars and cooking and prefers to read a book on her off days and spend quality time with friends and family.

She described herself on Twitter as “SA Model, FHM Cover Girl, Tropika Island of Treasure Celeb Contestant, Law Graduate, Ambassador, Child of God”.

Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp were first spotted at the South African Sports Awards last year.

At the time, she claimed she and Oscar Pistorius were just friends.

The Johannesburg-born sportsman was born without fibulas in his legs and had his limbs amputated below the knee when he was just 11 months old.

But he has become one of the worlds’ most recognizable sportsmen. His trademark carbon-fibre running blades mean he revels in the moniker “the fastest man on no legs”.

Oscar Pistorius is first double amputee to run in the Olympics and to reach the 400 semi-finals in London 2012.

Perhaps due in part to his sudden financial and sporting success, Oscar Pistorius has a notoriously complex love life.

Before he got together with Reeva Steenkamp, Pistorius had spent a year-and-a-half dating Cape Town marketing student Samantha Taylor.

But even while he was with Samantha Taylor, he was linked with numerous other women, including Russian model Anastassia Khozissova.

Oscar Pistorius was first seen with Reeva Steenkamp at an awards ceremony in South Africa last November. At the time, the FHM model said the pair were “just friends’.

But when it became clear that Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp were in fact dating, the sportsman’s then ex Samantha Taylor said: “Oscar has such a way with women. She’s probably not the only one he’s got.”

Samantha Taylor went on to tell South Africa’s City Press newspaper: “Oscar is certainly not what people think he is.”

Oscar Pistorius, 26, has a history of risk taking and also, reportedly, of violence.

In November last year, the sportsman reportedly “threatened to break the legs” of the friend of a man whom he believed had slept with his then girlfriend, who is not Reeva Steenkamp.

According to newspaper reports, Oscar Pistorius approached South African football player Marc Batchelor in the VIP room of a horse racing track and verbally threatened him.

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South African Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius, aka blade runner, has been arrested over the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, at his home in Pretoria, local media say.

Police said a 26-year-old man, who they have not named, was in custody and a case of murder was being investigated.

The precise circumstances surrounding the incident are unclear. Reports say he may have mistaken her for a burglar.

Oscar Pistorius, 26, is known as the “blade runner”, and was the first double amputee to run in the Olympics.

The suspect is expected to appear in court later on Thursday, reports say.

The news that he may have killed his girlfriend will shock the country as Oscar Pistorius is regarded as one of South Africa’s national icons.

The incident is said to have taken place between 04:00 and 05:00 local time.

South African Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius, aka blade runner, has been arrested over the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, at his home in Pretoria

South African Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius, aka blade runner, has been arrested over the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, at his home in Pretoria

A police statement said that a 30-year-old woman was “fatally wounded” in the early hours of Thursday morning at a home in the Silverlakes complex in the Boschkop area of the capital.

Reeva Steenkamp had been wounded in her head and upper body. Paramedics were at the house when police arrived, but she died at the scene. A 9 mm pistol was recovered.

Police gave no further details about the woman’s alleged relationship with Oscar Pistorius.

Reeva Steenkamp, 30, a former FHM model who has been dating Oscar Pistorius for two months.

Reeva Steenkamp, 30, a former FHM model who has been dating Oscar Pistorius for two months

Reeva Steenkamp, 30, a former FHM model who has been dating Oscar Pistorius for two months

South Africa has among the highest rates of crime in the world and many residents keep weapons to protect themselves against intruders.

But the country also has a careful vetting process before awarding gun licences, said Erika Gibson of Beeld newspaper.

Oscar Pistorius races wearing carbon fibre prosthetic blades after he was born without a fibula in both legs and had both legs amputated below the knee before his first birthday.

He reached the 400 m semi-finals in the London 2012 Olympics. At the Paralympics he won silver in the T44 200 m, gold in the 4×100 relay and gold in the T44 400 m, setting a Paralympic record.

For years he dominated in his category at successive Paralympic Games.

In 2008 Oscar Pistorius won a legal battle over his blades with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) for the right to compete in able-bodied competitions.

The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee said it had been inundated with questions over the incident, but was in no position to comment.

The International Paralympic Committee also declined to comment on the matter as a police investigation was under way.

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