pronunciation born november south african sprint runner convicted murderer legs knee months old athlete compete paralympic games olympic games competing sprint events knee paralympic events non disabled sprint events paralympic champion attempted enter non disabled international competition persistent objections charges artificial limbs gave unfair advantage eventually prevailed legal dispute world championships athletics win non disabled world track medal summer olympics double leg participate olympics valentine day february fatally shot girlfriend model home claimed mistaken hiding bathroom arrested charged murder trial following year found guilty homicide received year prison sentence homicide concurrent year suspended prison sentence separate reckless conviction november prosecutors asked sentencing judge permission appeal verdict permission granted december case presented person panel released house arrest december overturned homicide verdict convicted murder appeared court june start sentence hearing murder conviction concluded june judge sentencing july sentenced years imprisonment murder early life born november south_africa grew christian home elder brother younger sister credits mother died age years old major influence life white south african italian ancestry mother grandfather italian kenya mother tongue fluent english born absence legs months old legs halfway knees attended boys high school played rugby union school team played water polo tennis provincial level ages addition took club olympic wrestling trained garage gym south_africa rugby knee injury june introduced running january undergoing rehabilitation high performance centre coach looked racing blades fitted south african unable find suitable running blades van der ordered local engineer quickly broke van der referred american paralympic fitted blades company began studying business management sports science june interview university website joked won graduate soon training cut subjects hopefully finish time asked journalist sporting motto said disabled disabilities able abilities sporting career competes single knee events actually classified double knee referred blade runner fastest man legs took summer paralympics athens came overall leg knee metre event despite falling preliminary round metres qualified final went win final world record time seconds beating pair american runners possessing single finished sixth non disabled south african championships metres world record time seconds paralympic world cup year won gold metres metres beating previous metre world record athletics world championships won gold metre events breaking world record metres march set disability sports world record metres seconds championships physically disabled held april world record holder metre events times seconds respectively invited international non disabled event metre race grand prix finland july unable attend school commitments july ran metre race rome golden gala finished second run time seconds ran seconds warm appearance metres british grand prix don valley stadium sheffield july american olympic champion start race stopped running took seventh place field wet conditions time seconds later disqualified running outside lane race won american time seconds ambitions competing non disabled events particular set sights competing summer olympics beijing china ultimately selected dispute subject criticism claims artificial limbs advantage runners natural feet runs shaped carbon called foot developed engineer manufactured march amended competition rules include ban use technical device incorporates springs wheels element provides user advantage athlete device claimed amendment specifically aimed decide running unfair advantage monitored track performances high definition cameras film race italian club runners rome july metres sheffield july placed november invited series scientific tests guidance professor conjunction responsible technical issues days tests reported findings behalf report claimed limbs energy runners complete natural legs run speed led vertical motion combined mechanical work lifting body december told newspaper considerable advantages athletes prosthetic limbs tested percentage points expect clear based findings january ruled ineligible use competitions conducted rules including summer olympics called decision premature highly pledged continue fighting dream manager said appeal based advice united_states experts said report consideration subsequently appealed adverse decision switzerland appeared tribunal end april day hearing upheld appeal council decision revoked immediate effect panel unanimously determined tested speed running straight line unlike real metre race report consider suffers start acceleration phases race overall evidence net advantage non disabled athletes response announcement said focus appeal ensure disabled athletes given chance compete compete fairly non disabled athletes look forward continuing quest qualify olympics attempts qualify summer olympics chance representing south_africa summer olympics beijing individual metre race attain olympic standard time seconds qualifying time seconds athlete country achieved faster time apply national athletics federation permitted enter athletes event standard met athlete standard met eligible selection member relay squad qualifying best chance try time close seconds metre relay team said team don want reserve relay want want bring race relay stronger chance making south african olympic team delayed naming team july july competed metres race milan disappointed failed achieve minimum olympic qualification time completing race fourth place seconds performance july rome golden gala improvement second sixth place time seconds race short olympic qualification time nonetheless pleased performance commenting felt improve july general secretary commented world athletics body preferred south african olympic committee select metres relay team reasons safety saying cause damage risk physical safety athletes ran main pack relay branded desperate attempt qualify threatened legal action federation confirm objections participation relay responded issuing statement saying welcome seek qualification olympics future competitions rules fully respects recent decision eligibility compete competitions certainly wish influence south african olympic committee authority select men relay team beijing olympics coming personal best time seconds meeting july failed qualify metres summer olympics seconds later announced selected metres relay team runners better times selected competitors leg participate olympic games swimmer left leg knee traffic accident duly athlete qualify summer olympics asked possibility offering wild card olympics responded believe accept beijing games qualified expressed preference focusing qualification summer olympics london stating realistic target usually reach peak london years preparation summer paralympics participated summer paralympics beijing metres september heats metres set paralympic record time seconds later following slow start rallied gold metres time seconds seconds ahead silver days later september defending paralympic champion metre sprint won second gold event time seconds setting paralympic record completed hat trick winning gold metres world record time seconds september calling memory stay rest life qualification summer olympics january won titles new_zealand beaten time seven years metres american subsequently won metres seconds metres seconds world leading paralympic competed number non disabled races summer posted times seconds 19th italy july set personal best seconds metres attaining world championships olympic games standard qualification mark won metres event posted time ranked 15th fastest world august announced included south african team world championships south_korea selected metre metre relay squad heats metres ran seconds qualified semifinal semifinal ran seconds eliminated heats metres relay ran opening leg south_africa advanced finals national record time minutes seconds selected run finals based having slowest split time caused controversy leg normally slowest requires start blocks restricted leg safety grounds initially tweeted haven included final pretty later added team hard watching knowing deserved won silver medal ran heats win non disabled world track medal reflecting world championship debut said enjoyed experience ran second fastest time heats pleased reached semifinals relay broken south african record hopefully stay long time come july olympic committee announced included olympic team metre metres relay races summer olympics summer olympics august runner compete olympic games metres race took second place heat runners finishing time seconds best time season far advance semifinals august ran second semifinal finished eighth time seconds semifinal metres relay race august second runner south african team fell injured reaching run leg south_africa passed final appeal interference athlete downed south african relay team eventually finished eighth field final august established season best time team minutes seconds running final leg seconds chosen carry south african flag closing ceremony summer paralympics carried flag opening ceremony summer paralympics august entered classification men metres metres metres races metres relay metre competition established new world record seconds heat september defeated final day brazil took silver created controversy complaining length blades later apologised timing remarks content complaint confirmed length blades proportional body finalists measured race confirmed raised issue blade length weeks prior race issued statement welcoming apology declared support promised assist discussions issue lengthened conclusion games expressed willingness engage issue australian runner usa runner athletes expressed support position won gold medal september running anchor leg south african metres relay team team set world record time seconds unsuccessful defending beijing olympics metre title came fourth season best time seconds race won great_britain september day competition won gold metres time seconds breaking paralympic record achievements disability sports events non disabled sports events awards accolades conferred bronze president south_africa outstanding achievement sports december awarded year conferred outstanding courage achievement face time time magazine annual list world influential people appearing section blind person climb wrote essay shift disability ability disadvantage advantage lose sight makes athlete great easy credit success technology birth given certain gifts gifts hours devoted training desire best true heart champion list february awarded world sports award year disability august honoured unveiling large mural depicting achievements town italy september achievement award competitor fair honest values promotion personal recognition according director nominated unnamed external organisation south_korea award went athletes summer paralympics glasgow announced honorary doctorate sponsorship charitable activities sponsorship deals worth million year participated model advertising campaign called men collaborated release music called olympic dream produced italy consists disco remixes music pieces finds inspirational tracks written olympic dream run boy run provided proceeds sale went charity actively supports charity works raise awareness victims support programme provide victims february previously featured line bullet chamber wake shooting manufacturer suspended contract company spokesperson stated believe afforded process continue monitor situation closely personal life visible dates mother birth death viii iii march inside right arm tattoo bible verse begins run like man running house south_africa sold june train european season italy aside running interests include architecture breeding race horses autobiography published italian journalist sport english version entitled released appeared italian version january appeared special guest italian version dancing stars called con auditorium rome danced winner takes october appeared tonight jay_leno scheduled appear tonight larry king later dates february seriously injured thrown boat accident near underwent surgery repair broken facial bones including nose jaw initial concerns fitness recovered fully accident affected training running schedule year scheduled amateur alfred links championship held scotland handicap south_africa played handicap championship played world sports awards golf challenge golf club help net fund celebrity charity golf day murder early morning thursday february shot killed south african model home acknowledged shot causing death said possible trial murder began march trial proceedings june enable undergo psychiatric evaluation establish held responsible shooting judge agreed request evaluation prosecutor forensic psychiatrist testified defence diagnosed anxiety disorder june trial resumed evaluation reports said held responsible state prosecutor quoted saying suffer mental illness defect rendered responsible offence charged defence closed case july closing arguments heard august september found guilty homicide related charge reckless related restaurant found guilty related charges relating illegal possession ammunition firing car october received prison sentence maximum years homicide concurrent year suspended prison sentence separate reckless conviction prison term brother told south african weekly brother receive special privileges weeks prison incarcerated hours day cell allowed hour outdoor exercise hour weight room daily private bathroom given use communal shower room according brother advised inmates hospital wing exercise wanted initiate prison basketball program june recommended early release early august south african commissioner services told bbc decision case management committee prison held south african law eligible release supervision having served sixth sentence served approximately sixth prison term release date house arrest announced august release based good behavior fact considered danger community expected remain house arrest supervision expected perform community service continuing sentence regardless release prison return official athletic competition years sentence complete august release unexpectedly blocked south_africa justice minister according parole board decision early release premature legal experts noted likely political pressure implications cases pending early release released prison october case appeal november prosecutors applied sentencing judge permission appeal homicide verdict stating year prison term light inappropriate imposed reasonable court judge ruled december prosecution challenge ruling murder lesser charge homicide ruled state appeal length sentence case set appeal person panel date prosecutors submit court papers outlining arguments set august date defense team response set september date appeal hearing set november prosecutors argument rested judge application legal principle accused actually outcome actions judge error concluding firing shots closed door toilet kill door appeal heard november matter heard supreme_court judges unanimous decision court overturned homicide conviction found guilty murder death judge read summary judgment panel judges found prosecutor argument known die fired closed door small toilet words judge anxious rational person believed entitled fire person heavy calibre taking elementary precaution firing warning shot accused said elected fire thought harm according judgement person thought results actions homicide verdict replaced murder conviction case referred trial court sentencing hearing april december announced continue remain free bail house arrest pending appeal march announced denied right appeal court june begin day sentencing hearing murder conviction concluding june june sentencing judge july second prison term july sentenced years imprisonment murder judge incarcerated hospital wing jail anticipated eligible release parole serving years sentence
Oscar Pistorius