The rise and fall of Oscar Pistorius

In 2014, former Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius was sentenced to five years imprisonment for 'culpable homicide' for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The following December, that verdict was upgraded to murder - a decision Pistorius is bidding to overturn. The tragedy and ensuing court cases have blotted a unique, and at times controversial, athletic career.

At the tender age of 17, Oscar Pistorius exploded on to the track scene. He broke the world record in men's 200 meters at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, adding to an earlier bronze medal at the same meet. It was the first major milestone in his career. Pistorius was born with the disease fibular hemimelia, and at the age of 11 months was amputated halfway between his knees and ankles.

His success, however, was followed by debate on whether Pistorius had an extra advantage with his prosthetic J-shape limbs. Researchers found out that the prosthetics required "25 percent less energy" to move than normal legs. After initially being stopped from competing at the 2008 Olympics, Pistorius successfully had his appeal upheld at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

At the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing in China, Pistorius walked away with three gold medals in the 100, 200 and 400 meters finals on the track. He had been hoping to reach the Olympics - a constant target in his mind throughout his career - but he fell short of qualifying.

Pistorius got a step closer to his career-long dream at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, South Korea when he was finally able to race able-bodied athletes. He was included in the South African 4x400m relay team, running the opening leg in the semifinal. However, he was dropped for the final - where the South Africans won silver - because of his slow pace in the semis.

Pistorius was named in South Africa's team to participate in the 2012 London Olympic Games. He was the first double-leg amputee runner to compete in an able-bodied sport at the Olympics, but was not able to get to the final. His South African team also didn't get a medal in the relay, but Pistorius was given the honor of carrying the country's flag at the closing ceremony.

Just weeks later Pistorius graced the Olympic Stadium in London again, at the Paralympics, leading the South African team in at the opening ceremony. He established another world record in the 200 meter heats, but then lost in the final. He still left with two more gold medals at the end of the event though after winning in the 400meters sprint and the 4x100m relay.