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Johannesburg - Model and law graduate Reeva Steenkamp admired and respected her paralympian boyfriend Oscar Pistorius, she told heat magazine seven days before she was shot, the publication said on Thursday.
Steenkamp told the magazine she was concerned that "lies" about them would ruin the relationship.
"We haven't been talking to the media because I don't want to get it tainted. I don't want anything coming in the way of his career. He's such an amazing athlete," she told heat at the time.
'Move away from bikini shoots'
"You know what they do, they make things up, 'Reeva cheats on Oscar' and rubbish like that. I wouldn't want lies about us jeopardising it [his career]." Pistorius was arrested on Valentine's Day after Steenkamp was shot dead at his home in Silver Woods country estate, in Pretoria.
He was charged with murder on Friday.
Pistorius' bail application will run into its fourth day in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court this Friday.
In court Pistorius said he thought there was an intruder in the house then, after shooting, realised it was Steenkamp.
In a press release heat said Steenkamp spoke "glowingly" about her new romance with the paralympian.
'Classier work'
Steenkamp added that she wanted to move away from bikini shoots and become known for "classier" work.
"I'm trying to work on my modelling career and remove myself from the whole FHM stigma. I want to be seen as a classic model," she told heat.
On the cover of the issue, to be released on Friday, is a picture of Steenkamp in a long white dress, with a picture insert of Pistorius.
Heat South Africa editor Andre Neveling said the couple agreed to do an exclusive cover shoot with heat in an April issue.
"During this candid one-on-one with heat seven days before her death, Reeva opened up for the first time about her blossoming romance," Neveling said in a statement.
Steenkamp was cremated at a private ceremony in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday.
