Oscar Pistorius, our flawed hero, has fallen

His story was so incredible, so exceptional, that South Africa clung to his legend. Now come months of darkness and doubt.

For us South Africans, and for many across the globe, it is impossible to watch Oscar Pistorius run without a stir of emotion, without wanting to break down and cry and shout with joy. Pistorius is no ordinary hero: he is that rare thing, a man with an almost-impossible narrative.

It is not a rags to riches story, a poor boy made good – we have many of those here and on the African continent. His story is more intense. To be without legs, and to become the symbol of excellence in the very field where you are not supposed to excel: that is the stuff of legends. 

And we loved him for it. We adored him. Black or white, athletics-loving or not, his was a story that inspired a country that is quick to cleave along racial lines. He shattered those barriers. He was just what he was: the Blade Runner, the hero. 

Those billboards were being pulled down on Thursday. Pistorius, hero, had gone from being a figure of sympathy in the morning to being accused of murder in the evening as police revealed there were reports of shouting at his house the evening before.

Why, though? There have always been  worrying features to Pistorius. At the London Olympics last year, when he behaved in an unsportsmanlike manner towards another athlete and shocked many, we were reminded of his flaws.

In the morning, though, when the story first broke, there was no touching Pistorius. His model girlfriend  was coming in to give him a Valentine's surprise when she was shoot after being mistaken for a burglar.

The truth, however, is that South Africa is a country of violence. We have often been labelled the "crime capital of the world", and many like Pistorius own firearms, supposedly to protect themselves from burglars and robbers. 

Worse, he is not just one of us. When our Olympics team was in the doldrums at the Games, we knew one truth: Pistorius would redeem us. He ran his guts out, and did. Now he is fallen, and we are lost.

Adapted from The Guardian, Thursday, Feb. 14th, 2013 

 Nelson Mandela and François Pienaard handshaking

Invictus
Watch the trailer

Matt Damon talking about his movie Invictus

Moving testimony of François Pienaar on his relationship with Nelson Mandela

1. Watch the first episode of this funny TV series revolving around Chris, a thirteen-year-old Black boy

   going to a White School in Brooklyn in the 1980's.

    

   "Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation always!" (Chris, season 2, episode 3)

Ré-écoutez la CO. et entrainez vous à nouveau en gardant en tête

les remarques que je vous ai mises sur vos entrainements. Référez vous

ensuite à la correction afin de comprendre vos erreurs, et progresser.

Good Luck !