Credited from: CBSNEWS
South African former Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius participated in an Ironman triathlon in Durban, marking a significant milestone 12 years after the murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. Official reports confirmed that Pistorius, now 38, has been free on parole since January 2024, after completing more than half of his sentence for the 2013 crime that shocked the nation and drew worldwide attention. His participation in the race was reported by Afrikaans-language news site Netwerk24, which stated he had obtained permission from his parole officer to compete, a detail later validated by his attorney, Conrad Dormehl, and echoed by SCMP, CBS News, and HuffPost.
Pistorius completed the triathlon, which includes a 2-km swim, a 90-km bike ride, and a 21-km run, with an overall time of 5:56:39, placing 555th among all participants while securing a third-place finish in the "physically challenged" category. His earlier accomplishments as a pioneering voice for disabled athletes were highlighted alongside his recent return to competition, which was initially reported by Netwerk24 and reinforced by further details from CBS News and HuffPost.
Singabakho Nxumalo, spokesperson for South Africa's Department of Correctional Services, confirmed that Pistorius had received approval to attend the event, stating, "There was no breach in terms of his parole conditions." This highlights the delicate balance of Pistorius' rehabilitation efforts within the context of a society heavily affected by violence against women, according to SCMP, CBS News, and HuffPost.