Despite many invitations, Paralympian sprinter Oscar Pistorius will not be competing for the rest of 2013. According to his agent, the 26-year old South African athlete is not yet ready to get back to the track. The confirmation means that the IPC World Championships in July in Lyon will not be graced by the presence of the exceptional double amputee. And the Moscow world championship for able-bodied athletes is definitely not “on the radar” as previously thought.
Invitations to compete
Pistorius is allowed to compete before the hearing of his case starts even outside South Africa, but he has not participated in any competition since he was arrested. He was granted bail on the 22nd of February. His agent has revealed that many events organizers have extended their invitation, though he did not reveal them. But there are more than enough to keep him busy, he said.
However, not everyone is keen on inviting Pistorius fearing a media circus at their athletic events. One such event where he has not been invited to is the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games at the Olympic Stadium in July.
Charged with premeditation
Oscar Pistorius was charged with premeditated murder on the death of his girlfriend, 29 year-old Reeva Steenkamp, in February of this year and is currently awaiting trial. The fatal shooting happened in Pretoria on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2013. Pistorius has admitted to shooting Steenkamp, mistaking her for an intruder.
Last March, Pistorius managed to get the conditions of his bail to accommodate travel abroad. He is expected to appear in court on June 4. The murder trial is expected to take place towards the latter part of the year.
Not mentally ready
Pistorius’ agent, Peet Van Zyl, said that there was no pressure from him or Ampie Louw, Pistorius’ coach who said that the athlete made the decision not to compete. Pistorius has won the gold medal in the Paralympics six times. He competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics held in London and won a couple of gold medals. He is known worldwide as the “Blade Runner” in reference to the prosthetic blades made of carbon fiber that her runs in.
Louw was also quoted saying that these days Pistorius is “nowhere close” to be in the mindset to engage in training. The coach said that the athlete is doing fitness exercises in the morning in the company of his family and nothing more.
Exceptional athlete
Oscar was born to Henke and Sheila Pistorius. He had no fibular bones and had his lower legs amputated when he was only 11 months old when his parents were advised that this would be less traumatic for the child. When Pistorius was two years old he was fitted with prosthetic legs and learned to walk with them. Among the sports activities he has engaged in are rugby and water polo, boxing, cricket, tennis, club wresting, rugby and triathlon. When he injured his knee in a rugby match, he was given medical advice to take up running to help with lower extremity rehabilitation.
Photo Credit: Oscar Pistorius
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