Oscar Pistorius: Watch Paralympic star pull on running blades for first time since killing of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, Oscar Pistorius pulls on his running blades as he returns to training for the first time since the killing of his girlfriend.
Bearded and leaner, the 26-year-old was said to have been "overcome with emotion" in his return to the track after five months out.
The athlete's agent, Peet van Zyl, said Pistorious had described his return to regular training as "bittersweet".
"It was a very emotional experience for him to put the blades back on, to walk back onto the track, get the smell of the track," said Mr Van Zyl, who went to the track at the University of Pretoria with Pistorius," he said,
"It was tough for him. He said to me it was like a bittersweet feeling and emotion for him to be back on the track."
Pistorius' return to training was seen in a brief video clip released by his family
In the footage, which is around two minutes long, the athlete is first sitting on a chair at his usual training track at the university pulling on his running blades.
He then does some light jogging on the sunbathed track and, finally, wipes his face with both hands as he walks off the track.
Pistorius telephoned Mr Van Zyl and his coach, Ampie Louw, about a week ago to say he was ready to train again.
"(He) said, 'Guys I think I'm ready to resume training," Mr Van Zyl said.
Yesterday's visit was the second time Pistorius has been seen on the university track since he killed Ms Steenkamp.
A March sighting spurred speculation he was back in training, which was denied by his family, who described him then as being in "an extremely traumatised state" and not willing to contemplate training at that time.
Then, Pistorius was photographed by a schoolgirl on a mobile phone while he was walking on the track, but he made that visit without the knowledge of anyone else, his agent said, and waited for a group of athletes he took to the track to leave before he put on his blades and just walked around.
His new routine will involve around three to four sessions a week and be run by Mr Louw, Pistorius' longtime coach and the man who introduced him to athletics when Pistorius was a teenager and still at school.
Mr Van Zyl said Pistorius had discovered he was desperately missing running and training.
"I think the emotions yesterday show how much he really did miss being back on the track and being able to run," he said.
"Obviously with the world championships, both Paralympic world championships and IAAF world championships getting closer, it's even tougher for him not be running or training or competing."
Pistorius is accused of the premeditated murder of Reeva Steenkamp who was shot dead in the bathroom of his mansion in Pretoria.
He claims he picked up a gun in the dark and shot through the door of the bathroom thinking he had disturbed an intruder.
He is currently on bail and set to return to court on August 19 - which would have been Reeva’s 30th birthday.
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