[Image: Flickr]
Oscar Pistorius slipped into a Durban half Ironman on Sunday with all the fanfare of a ghost at a dinner party — unannounced, unexpected, and yet unmistakable once spotted in the surf.
The former Paralympian, who served time for the 2013 killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, wasn’t listed on the race roster, but keen eyes clocked him mid-swim – and the sighting sparked a few high-fives rather than headlines.
Photographer Richard Pearce, who snapped him mid-race, kept it casual: “People started recognising him, but it wasn’t a big deal.”
Pistorius placed third in his category, finishing in just under six hours, with lifeguards helping him into the water to kick things off, YOU Magazine reported.
It’s not his first outing since trading prison walls for protein shakes. In May, he completed the Hoka Half Marathon in Pretoria – 98th place, but who’s counting?
His lawyer, Conrad Dormehl, says this athletic comeback is more than just finish lines: “It’s part of his rehabilitation,” he said. “Sport is still very important to him.”
And that rehab includes five-star surroundings. Pistorius currently lives at his uncle Arnold’s mansion in Waterkloof, where neighbours aren’t exactly forming a welcome committee – or a protest line.
“Everyone here minds their own business,” one neighbour shrugged.
Also making headlines earlier this year: his rumoured romance with Rita Greyling, daughter of wealthy farmer BP Greyling. A source says it’s all smooth sailing: “He’s trying to live as normal a life as possible. Exercise plays a big role.”
That new normal also includes attending a church in Zwavelpoort, where a member says he’s “growing spiritually” and “doing well.” Rebranding, it seems, comes with cardio and communion.
Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo confirmed Pistorius had clearance to hit Durban: “Oscar is allowed to travel if his parole officer approves it,” he said. “Parole is not there to punish – it’s meant to help reintegrate people into society.”
Reintegration with a wetsuit, a mansion, and a side of spiritual growth – but under curfew until December 2029.
[Source: Scrolla]
