JOHANNESBURG — Oscar Pistorius, the Paralympian athlete who killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, will return to training ahead of his trial.
“His family, and those close to him, have encouraged him to spend a few hours a week on the track to assist him in finding the necessary mental and emotional equilibrium to process his trauma and prepare for the trial,” the Pistorius family said in a statement released on the athlete’s website Thursday.
Prosecutors accuse Pistorius of deliberately shooting Steenkamp, 29, at his Pretoria home on Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day. The athlete says he thought she was a burglar.
Pistorius, 26, successfully challenged bail conditions on March 28 and had his passport returned to him so that he could travel and compete. The murder trial is set for Aug. 19.
“His focus at this time remains entirely on the court case,” according to the family statement. “Oscar is not contemplating a formal return to athletics and his training is not aimed at preparing for competition.”
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