Pistorius 'overcome with emotion' during 'bittersweet' return to track

Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius was reportedly 'overcome with emotion' as he put on his carbon fibre running blades for his first track training since the killing of model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, according to his agent.

According to Peet van Zyl, the much thinner double-amputee Olympian, sporting a short beard, did some light jogging at his first formal session in around five months on Thursday, and has described his return to a regular track routine as 'bittersweet', Sport24 reports.

Stating that it was an emotional experience for the Blade Runner to put the blades back on, to walk back and get the smell of the track, Van Zyl said that Pistorius confided that it was a tough and a bittersweet moment for him, adding that Pistorius had called Van Zyl and his coach Ampie Louw about a week ago to say that he was ready to train again.

According to the report, Pistorius's return to training was seen in a two-minute long video clip released by his family, in which the athlete is first seen at his usual training track at the university pulling on his running blades, doing some light jogging on the sunbathed track and then, finally, wiping his face with both hands as he walks off the track

Stating that Pistorius's return to regular training is to assist him in finding the necessary mental and emotional equilibrium to process his trauma and prepare for a likely lengthy murder trial, however, Pistorius' family and Van Zyl stated that he was still not planning on competing anytime in 2013.

The report also said that Pistorius' new routine will involve around three to four sessions a week and be run by Louw, with Van Zyl saying that the South African had discovered that he was desperately missing running and training.

According to Van Zyl, it is tough for Pistorius not to be running, training or competiting with both the Paralympic world championships and International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) world championships getting closer

Pistorius's next court appearance is 19 August, when prosecutors may indict him and a date could be set for the start of his murder trial, possibly in September or October, the report added.