JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - South Africa's Paralympic gold medallist Oscar Pistorius has been arrested after shooting dead his girlfriend having mistaken her for an intruder, media reported on Thursday.

According to the Beeld newspaper, Pistorius was arrested early Thursday following the shooting.

Police could not immediately confirm the report.

The athlete known as the "Blade Runner" made history in 2012 when he became the first amputee to compete in the Olympics.

He won gold in the 4x400m relay at the Paralympic Games.

He had both legs amputated below the knee before he was aged one, because of a congenital condition, and runs on carbon fibre blades.

Last year Time Magazine named him as one of the world's 100 most influential people.