Oscar Pistorius
A double-amputee sprinter who shattered athletic barriers before his life was consumed by a notorious murder conviction.
Born 1986 (age 40)·South African sprinter and convicted murderer·Birthday: November 22·Millennials
Biography
Oscar Pistorius ran the 400 meters at the 2012 London Olympics on carbon-fiber prosthetic legs, the first amputee to compete in the able-bodied Games. Born in 1986 with both legs amputated below the knee, he dominated Paralympic sprinting, winning multiple gold medals. Nicknamed 'Blade Runner,' he campaigned fiercely to race against non-disabled athletes, culminating in that historic Olympic appearance. In 2013, he shot and killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, at his Pretoria home. The trial became a global media spectacle. A murder conviction followed in 2015. His athletic achievement and the violent act are permanently bound together.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Oscar was born in 1986, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Oscar Was Born
The biggest hits of 1986
#1 Movie
Top Gun
Best Picture
Platoon
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Oscar's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1986Born
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1991Started school
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1999Became a teenager
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Could drive
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2004Could vote
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Turned 21
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2016Turned 30
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 40
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the first amputee sprinter to compete in the Olympic Games, running in the 400m and 4x400m relay at London 2012.
- Won six Paralympic gold medals across three Games (2004, 2008, 2012).
- Set multiple world records in Paralympic track events for below-knee amputees.
- Successfully challenged the IAAF's ban on his prosthetic blades, winning a landmark legal case for athlete inclusion.
Did You Know?
He was born without fibulas, leading to his amputation at 11 months old.
His carbon-fiber running prosthetics were called 'Cheetah' blades.
He played rugby, water polo, and wrestled as a schoolboy before focusing on running.
In 2009, he suffered serious injuries in a boating accident on the Vaal River.
“You're not disabled by the disabilities you have, you are able by the abilities you have.”
