Latest news with #DepartmentofCorrectionalServices
Gulf Today
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Gulf Today
Oscar Pistorius competes in triathlon 12 years after murdering girlfriend
South African former Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius was spotted taking part in a triathlon last weekend in the coastal city of Durban, 12 years after murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in a crime that drew worldwide attention. Pistorius, 38, was freed from jail in January 2024 after completing more than half his sentence and is on parole until his sentence expires in 2029. Singabakho Nxumalo, spokesperson for South Africa's Department of Correctional Services, said Pistorius had approval to attend the race, the Ironman 70.3 Durban. "There was no breach in terms of his parole conditions," Nxumalo said. Afrikaans-language news website Netwerk24 first reported Pistorius' participation in the event on Wednesday. Conrad Dormehl, an attorney for Pistorius, confirmed to Reuters that Pistorius had featured in the Durban race. "This forms part of his rehabilitation into society. Whilst he particularly enjoyed participating in the event and seems to have been bitten by the bug that is triathlon sport, he isn't eyeing any comeback into competitive running just yet," he said. Pistorius — dubbed "Blade Runner" for his carbon-fibre prosthetic legs - shot dead 29-year-old model Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door on Valentine's Day in 2013. He repeatedly said he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder and launched multiple appeals against his conviction on that basis. His release on parole after about eight and a half years in jail, as well as seven months under house arrest, provoked a raw response in a country scarred by violence against women. Netwerk24 published a photograph of Pistorius riding a bicycle with the race number 105, his distinctive tattoo and prosthetic legs visible. Reuters contacted the photographer who gave the news agency permission to publish images similar to the one Netwerk24 used. Results published online by sports-timing company SportSplits show an athlete called Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius with race number 105 came 555th among all participants in the Ironman race and third in the "physically challenged" category. The course involved a 2-km swim, a 90-km bike ride and a 21-km run - a total distance of 70.3 miles. Pistorius was once a darling of the sports world, and a pioneering voice for disabled athletes, for whom he campaigned to be allowed to compete with able-bodied participants at major sports events. He won six gold medals over three Paralympic Games in Athens, Beijing and London, and competed in able-bodied races at the London 2012 Olympics. Reuters
![Iron cell to Ironman: Oscar Pistorius takes on triathlon [picture]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesouthafrican.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F06%2FOscar-Pistorius-recently-competed-in-a-traiathlon.jpg.optimal.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![Iron cell to Ironman: Oscar Pistorius takes on triathlon [picture]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fthesouthafrican.com.png&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
The South African
12 hours ago
- Sport
- The South African
Iron cell to Ironman: Oscar Pistorius takes on triathlon [picture]
More than a decade after he last competed competitively, former Paralympian and convicted murderer Oscar Pistorius has returned to high-powered professional sports. The 38-year-old competed in an Ironman 70.3 event in Durban last weekend. Oscar was released on parole last year after serving half his sentence for the 2014 murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. According to reports, Oscar Pistorius competed in Durban's Ironman 70.2 triathlon in the 'physically challenged' category. The high-powered event is made up of a 1.9 km swim, a 90 km bike ride, and a 21.1 km run, totaling 113 km. In pictures circulating online, Oscar blended into the crowd with his polarised sunglasses, helmet, and dark clothing. He also wore his prosthetic legs. According to the Department of Correctional Services, Oscar Pistorius received approval to attend the racing event. This comes amid his strict parole conditions, which include limited travel and home confinement, and not consuming alcohol or possessing any dangerous weapons. Oscar Pistorius is likely enjoying his return to professional sports. Twenty years ago, the world-famous athlete won gold in the men's 200m and bronze in the 100m at the 2004 Athens Paralympics. At the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing, Oscar won gold in the 100m, 200m, and 400m. At the 2012 Paralympics in London, he won gold in the 400m and 4 x 100 m relay and silver in the 200m. Oscar had other notable achievements, winning gold in the 100m and 200m, in the 2005 Paralympic World Cup. At the Paralympic World Championships in 2011, he won gold in the 4x100m relay. Oscar would also compete in able-bodied competitions like the World Athletic Champions (previously IAAF), where he won silver in the 4x400m relay. At the 2012 African Championships, he won silver in both the 400m and the 4x100m relay. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 . Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
Metro
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Metro
Oscar Pistorius in first appearance at sports event since murdering girlfriend
Oscar Pistorius has been spotted competing in a triathlon event 18 months after his release from prison for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The double amputee, dubbed 'Blade Runner' for his prosthetic legs, made his first public appearance at a sporting event since the 2013 killing at an Ironman 70.3 competition in Durban. He shot model Steenkamp, 29, through a locked bathroom door on Valentine's Day 12 years ago. His release on parole after about eight and a half years in jail, as well as seven months under house arrest, provoked a raw response in a country scarred by violence against women. Netwerk24 published a photograph of Pistorius riding a bicycle with the race number 105, his distinctive tattoo and prosthetic legs visible. Singabakho Nxumalo, spokesperson for South Africa's Department of Correctional Services, said Pistorius had approval to attend the race, the Ironman 70.3 Durban. Pistorius's lawyer Conrad Dormehl said: 'This forms part of his rehabilitation into society. 'Whilst he particularly enjoyed participating in the event and seems to have been bitten by the bug that is triathlon sport, he isn't eyeing any comeback into competitive running just yet.' Results published online by sports-timing company SportSplits show an athlete called Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius with race number 105 came 555th among all participants in the Ironman race and third in the 'physically challenged' category. The course involved a 2km swim, a 90km bike ride and a 21km run – a total distance of 70.3 miles. Pistorius was once a darling of the sports world, and a pioneering voice for disabled athletes, for whom he campaigned to be allowed to compete with able-bodied participants at major sports events. More Trending He won six gold medals over three Paralympic Games in Athens, Beijing and London, and competed in able-bodied races at the London 2012 Olympics. Pistorius shot Ms Steenkamp, a model and reality TV star, several times through the bathroom door with ammunition designed to inflict maximum damage to the human body. He always claimed he shot his girlfriend in error after mistaking her for a dangerous intruder, saying he didn't realise that she had got out of bed. Pistorius was freed from jail in January 2024 after completing more than half his sentence and is on parole until his sentence expires in 2029. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Ex-Arsenal prodigy jailed for four years over £600,000 cannabis smuggling plot MORE: Teen jailed for killing OAP with shoe and girl, 12, who filmed attack avoids prison MORE: Man charged and deliberately infecting victims with HIV appears in court
The Independent
16 hours ago
- General
- The Independent
Oscar Pistorius competes in Durban triathlon 12 years after murdering girlfriend
Oscar Pistorius, the former Paralympic champion convicted of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, has been spotted participating in a triathlon in Durban, a year after his release on parole. According to Netwerk24, an Afrikaans-language news website, Pistorius competed in the Ironman 70.3 competition last weekend. The publication cited an unnamed source who stated that Pistorius had obtained permission from his parole officer to enter the event. Pistorius was released on parole in January 2024, 12 years after the murder of Steenkamp. Conrad Dormehl, an attorney for Pistorius, confirmed that Pistorius had participated in the Durban race. Singabakho Nxumalo, spokesperson of South Africa's Department of Correctional Services, said he did not know whether Pistorius had received permission to compete, but would find out and respond to questions sent by Reuters. He said his parole officer would have needed to approve him travelling from where he lives to another district. Pistorius - dubbed " Blade Runner" for his carbon-fibre prosthetic legs - shot dead 29-year-old model Reeva Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door on Valentine's Day in 2013, in a crime that drew worldwide attention and shocked a nation inured to violence against women. He repeatedly said he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder and launched multiple appeals against his conviction on that basis. Pistorius, now 38, was freed from jail in January 2024 after completing more than half his sentence and is on parole until his sentence expires in 2029. Netwerk24 published a photograph of Pistorius riding a bicycle with the race number 105. Pistorius' distinctive tattoo and prosthetic legs were visible in the photograph. Reuters contacted the photographer who gave the news agency permission to publish images similar to the one Netwerk24 used. Results published online by sports-timing company SportSplits show an athlete called Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius competed in the triathlon under race number 105, coming 555th among all participants and third in the "physically challenged" category. The race involved a 2-km swim, a 90-km bike ride and a 21-km run - a total distance of 70.3 miles. Pistorius was once the darling of the sports world, and a pioneering voice for disabled athletes, for whom he campaigned to be allowed to compete with able-bodied participants at major sports events. He won six gold medals over three Paralympic Games in Athens, Beijing and London, and competed in able-bodied races at the London 2012 Olympics.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Oscar Pistorius competes in triathlon 12 years after murdering girlfriend
By Sfundo Parakozov and Alessandro Parodi JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -South African former Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius was spotted competing in a triathlon last weekend in the coastal city of Durban, 12 years after murdering his girlfriend and a year after his release on parole. Afrikaans-language news website Netwerk24 on Wednesday reported Pistorius' participation in the Ironman 70.3 competition. Netwerk24 cited an unnamed source as saying that Pistorius had permission from his parole officer to compete. Conrad Dormehl, an attorney for Pistorius, confirmed to Reuters that Pistorius had participated in the Durban race. Singabakho Nxumalo, spokesperson of South Africa's Department of Correctional Services, said he did not know whether Pistorius had received permission to compete, but would find out and respond to questions sent by Reuters. He said his parole officer would have needed to approve him travelling from where he lives to another district. Pistorius - dubbed "Blade Runner" for his carbon-fibre prosthetic legs - shot dead 29-year-old model Reeva Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door on Valentine's Day in 2013, in a crime that drew worldwide attention and shocked a nation inured to violence against women. He repeatedly said he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder and launched multiple appeals against his conviction on that basis. Pistorius, now 38, was freed from jail in January 2024 after completing more than half his sentence and is on parole until his sentence expires in 2029. Netwerk24 published a photograph of Pistorius riding a bicycle with the race number 105. Pistorius' distinctive tattoo and prosthetic legs were visible in the photograph. Reuters contacted the photographer who gave the news agency permission to publish images similar to the one Netwerk24 used. Results published online by sports-timing company SportSplits show an athlete called Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius competed in the triathlon under race number 105, coming 555th among all participants and third in the "physically challenged" category. The race involved a 2-km swim, a 90-km bike ride and a 21-km run - a total distance of 70.3 miles. Pistorius was once the darling of the sports world, and a pioneering voice for disabled athletes, for whom he campaigned to be allowed to compete with able-bodied participants at major sports events. He won six gold medals over three Paralympic Games in Athens, Beijing and London, and competed in able-bodied races at the London 2012 Olympics. (Additional reporting by Mark Gleeson, Alexander Winning, Maria Paula Laguna and Siphiwe Sibeko; Editing by Alexander Winning and Alex Richardson)
