New Delhi: Being handicapped must be very depressing, but some are bold and strong enough to convert their weakness into strength. One big example is South African sprinter, Oscar Pistorius.
Born on 22nd November 1986, he ran his first competitive 100m race in 2004 for Pretoria Boys High School in a time of 11.72s. The existing Paralympic world record was 12.20s.
Often referred to as Blade Runner or the Usain Bolt of paralympics, Pistorius became the first amputee to win an able-bodied world track medal in 2011 World Athletics Championship. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Pistorius became the first double leg amputee to participate in the Olympics when he entered the men's 400 metres and 4 × 400 metres relay races.
At the 2012 Summer Paralympics, Pistorius won gold medals in the men's 400-metre race and in the 4 × 100 metres relay, setting world records in both events. He also took a silver in the 200 metres race, having set a world record in the semifinal.
However on 14 February 2013, Pistorius was charged with the murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, whom he had fatally shot at his home in the early hours of that morning. Though he acknowledges that he shot Steenkamp, causing her death, but he mistook her for a possible intruder.
On Thursday after number of hearings and trails, South African judge finally clears the para athlete saying that there were not enough facts which could prove him guilty of the pre-mediated murder.
India TV looks onto his journey at a glance:
