South Africans will be stunned at arrest of their national hero

Sports writer

Friday 15 February 2013

SOUTH Africans will struggle to grasp the arrest of Oscar Pistorius, who is the equivalent of Sir Chris Hoy and Andy Murray in their country.

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Doug Gillon

Pistorius made history by crossing from physical disability sport to mainstream at the top level. He was the first double amputee to compete in both the Olympics and Paralympics, where last year he brought his record haul to more than 30.

As a celebrity in constant demand, his demeanour remained impeccable on and off track. Even when fighting allegations that his carbon fibre prosthetics afforded unfair advantage, there was no hint of irritation. Nor, when the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled in his favour, was there any evidence of triumphalism.He came across as a good-humoured, charismatic, and an articulate youngster for whom triumph over crippling adversity was a daily ritual, one which helped him become a global role model, and not just among the disabled.Born with no fibulae, which necessitated amputation at the knee before his first birthday, he nevertheless played mainstream rugby for his school, and water polo and tennis at provincial level. His bronze in the 200 metres at the 2009 Scottish championships was a shock defeat, yet he was gracious, offering no excuses, despite a recent powerboat accident where he lost three litres of blood, broke several bones and needed 178 stitches.His measure as a human was perhaps more evident in defeat. He enthusiastically clapped an under-13 boys' relay and more than an hour later was still signing hundreds of autographs. When Pitreavie teenager Anthony Young admired his Oakleys, Pistorius presented the sunglasses to him. Finally, self-deprecatingly, he texted his pal, Springbok winger Bryan Habana (who had helped beat the Lions the day before): "I guess I let you down!"

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South Africans will be stunned at arrest of their national hero

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