Nick Symmonds, an American athlete who finished fifth in the 800 meters in London, is friendly with Pistorius. He learned the news when he woke up at 6 a.M. And turned on the TV.

"I was just shocked like everybody else," he said. "We're going to have to let the courts down in South Africa sort out the facts." Ato Boldon, a four-time Olympic medalist and an analyst on NBC television in the United States, said Pistorius' name would have been the last to come to mind if someone told him a track athlete was charged with murder. "He exudes class. He's gracious. He's humble," said Boldon, who felt he knew Pistorius well. The International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee each had little to say about the case. "This is not the moment for the IOC to be commenting on this tragic incident. Our thoughts are with the families affected and we send them our deepest sympathies," the IOC said in a statement. The IPC said it was "police matter." "Therefore it would be inappropriate for the IPC to comment on this incident until the official police process has concluded," the IPC said in a statement on its website. "The IPC would like to offer its deepest sympathy and condolences to all families involved in this case." The South African Olympic committee released a statement saying it had been "inundated" with requests for comment but were not in a position to give out any details of the shooting. MORE (AP) PM PM 02150930 NNNN