Oscar Pistorius Gets Parole 10 Years After Killing Girlfriend; Revisiting The Double-Amputee Olympic Runner's Career, Net Worth and The Shooting

What is Oscar Pistorius' Net Worth?

Former South African professional sprinter Oscar Pistorius has an estimated net worth of $150000, per Celebrity Net Worth. Nicknamed, the "Blade Runner," Pistorius is a double amputee from the knee down, who participated in the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Paralympics, winning six gold medals, one silver, and one bronze medal. In 2014, he was charged and sentenced to prison for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, a model and paralegal.

The 2014 trial of Pistorius sent shock waves around the globe. The Paralympic champion runner was initially sentenced to five years in prison for culpable homicide. However, the sentence was increased to 13 years and five months (less time served) by a South African court in 2016, after his charge was converted to murder. He has served eight and a half years in prison, plus a further eight months under house arrest. Recently, Pistorius' parole appeal was accepted by the court, and he will be released from jail on January 5, 2024.

Sources of Income

Career as an Athlete

Pistorius was born without a fibula in either of his legs, a condition called fibular hemimelia. Both of his legs were amputated when he was 11 months old, and he successfully walked with prosthetic legs within six months.

Pistorius was classified in T43 (double below-knee amputee), however, he competed in T44, the single below-knee amputee's classification. He finished in third place in the T44 100-metre event in the 2004 Summer Paralympics, and won the 200-metre event, setting a world record with a time of 21.97 seconds.

In 2005, he won gold medals in the 100-metre and 200-metre events at the Paralympic World Cup. He set disability sports world records at the 2007 South African Senior Athletics Championships and Nedbank Championships for the Physically Disabled.

In the 2008 Summer Paralympics, he won gold medals in the 100-meter, 200-meter, and 400-meter. Pistorius won three IPC Athletics World titles while competing in New Zealand and won the 100-metre and 400-metre events at the BT Paralympic World Cup in early 2011.

At the 19th Internazionale di Atletica Sports Solidarity Meeting, he was given the "A" standard qualification mark for competing in the Olympic Games and World Championships. In August 2011, he was included in the South African team at the World Championships, where he won a silver medal with the 4 x 400 relay team. With this, he became the first amputee to win a world track medal in a non-disabled competition.

In the 2012 Summer Olympics, he competed in 4 × 400 metres relay and 400-metre events, becoming the first amputee runner to compete in the Olympics. In the 2012 Summer Paralympics, he won a silver medal in the 200-metre event, a gold medal in the 400-metre event, and a team gold medal in the 4 × 100 metres relay.

Earnings

In his affidavit at the time of his sentencing, Pistorius claimed that he had an annual income of around R5.6 million ($294,623.64), according to Forbes Africa. Further, before he was charged, his estimated net worth was around $5 million.

Endorsements

Pistorius earned $2 million annually from his sponsorship deals. He had signed deals with brands including Oakley, BT, and Nike. However, after he was charged with the murder of his girlfriend, his deals were dropped, and Nike pulled his ad that featured the line "I am the bullet in the chamber."

Total Assets

Assets

As per a Forbes Africa report, before his conviction, Pistorius owned three houses and a vacant plot worth a total of around R8.3 million ($903,300). The house where the shooting took place was worth around R5.6 million ($609,500) and it was put on the market in September 2011. The vacant plot in the Western Cape, near Cape Town was estimated to be worth around $190,000.

Pistorius also owned household furniture, cars, and jewelry worth around $56,000, as per the Forbes report. He also had “cash investments” of around R1 million ($108,800) with various banks.

Personal Life

Oscar Pistorius was in a high-profile relationship with Reeva Steenkamp. As per reports, the two had dated for “only three months”, before Steenkamp was fatally shot by Pistorius at their home. The couple often appeared in the media due to their celebrity status and Steenkamp's career in modeling and television.

Murder Charge and Jail Sentence

In the early hours of Valentine’s Day in 2013, Steenkamp was fatally shot in the bathroom of Pistorius’ home in Pretoria. He claimed that he shot her accidentally, thinking she was a home intruder. His trial began in 2014. He was found guilty of culpable homicide and was sentenced to five years in prison along with a three-year concurrent suspended sentence for reckless endangerment.

He was briefly released in October 2015, and at the same time, the prosecutors appealed his previous verdict. The verdict was overturned and a judge found Pistorius guilty of murder, giving him a sentence of six years. In 2017, his sentence was increased to 13 years and five months.

Oscar Pistorius’ Parole Appeal and Release

Pistorius’s first parole bid collapsed in March as he had not completed the minimum detention period. However, this was later ruled as a mistake by South Africa's Constitutional Court, providing him a new parole hearing. His second parole appeal was accepted by the court.

Awards and Accomplishments

2006 Order of Ikhamanga in Bronze (OIB)

2007 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award (revoked after his murder conviction)

2008 and 2012, Appeared in the "Time" magazine's list of the world's 100 most influential people

2012 Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsperson of the Year

2012 honorary doctorate from Glasgow University of Strathclyde (revoked after his 2015 conviction)

FAQs

How old is Oscar Pistorius?

Oscar Pistorius is 37 years old.

What's going on with Oscar Pistorius?

Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius was recently granted parole, more than a decade after shooting his girlfriend through at his home in South Africa.

What is Oscar Pistorius’ current net worth?

Oscar Pistorius has an estimated net worth of $150 thousand in 2023.