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Oscar Pistorius

full name: Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius

bio:

Oscar Pistorius is a South African sprinter. He was born without fibula in his lower legs, which were amputated at 11mths of age. He took up competitive running at age 17, and had a successful Paralympics career, winning 6 gold medals. After a long battle to prove that his artificial limbs did not give him an advantage over able bodied runners, he was cleared by the IAAF to compete at the 2012 Olympic Games. He became the first “double” amputee to compete at the Olympic Games when he competed in the 400m and the 4 x 400 m relay races in London.

On 14 February 2013, Pistorius was accused of fatally shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, and subsequently found guilty of culpable homicide (known as manslaughter elsewhere).

also known as:

mostly known as the "blade runner". Also as "the fastest man on no legs" and "Oz" Pistorius

born:

November 22, 1986 in Sandton, Johannesburg, Transvaal Province, South Africa

family:

His parents are Henke and Sheila Pistorius. He has a sister Aimée and brother Carl.

physical attributes:

Height - 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in) in prosthetics
Weight - 80.6 kg (178 lb)

competes for:

South Africa

event:

100m, 200m, 400m

personal bests:

100 m: 10.91 sec
200 m: 21.30 sec
400 m: 45.07 sec

achievements:

Paralympic Games gold medals

  • 2004 Athens 200 m (T44)
  • 2008 Beijing 100 m (T44)
  • 2008 Beijing 200 m (T44)
  • 2008 Beijing 400 m (T44)
  • 2012 London 400 m (T44)
  • 2012 London 4 × 100 m relay (T42–T46)

what you may not know:

  • He began studies in studying for a Bachelor of Commerce at University of Pretoria, but did not graduate
  • He competed in T44 (one leg amputated below the knee) events though he is actually classified in T43
  • There is a large mural depicting his achievements in the town of Gemona, Italy.
  • He has two tattoos, one has the dates of his mother's birth and death on the inside of his right arm, the other is a Bible verse "I do not run like a man running aimlessly" ( 1 Corinthians 9:26) on his back.


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