South African Olympic and Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius has strongly rejected a charge that he murdered his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.
Ms Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, was shot dead at Mr Pistorius's home near Pretoria on Thursday.
Appearing in court in Pretoria, Mr Pistorius wept as prosecutors vowed to pursue a charge of premeditated murder.
An application for bail was postponed until next Tuesday and the athlete will remain in police custody.
Dubbed "blade runner", he made history last summer by becoming the first double-amputee track athlete to run in an Olympic Games.
"The alleged murder is disputed in the strongest terms", said a statement released by Mr Pistorius's family and management company after the court hearing.
"Our thoughts and prayers today should be for Reeva and her family - regardless of the circumstances of this terrible, terrible tragedy," it said.
They were the first words released on behalf of the 26-year-old athlete since Ms Steenkamp was found fatally wounded at his home in the gated Silver Woods development outside the South African capital.
But they gave no explanation of what had happened.
'Traumatised'
Hours earlier, Mr Pistorius sobbed audibly during his initial appearance at Pretoria Magistrates Court.
Dozens of reporters witnessed the hearing, where chief magistrate Desmond Nair was presiding.
The BBC's Andrew Harding, who was there, said the defendant cut a lonely figure in a crowded court, with his hands clenched and his neck muscles twitching, before he held his head forward, breathing heavily through tears.
When Prosecutor Gerrie Nel argued for the graver charge of "premeditated murder", Mr Pistorius slumped forward at the mention of the words.
If convicted of premeditated murder, the athlete will face a life term in prison. But his defence is seeking a lesser charge, possibly culpable homicide, which is defined in South African law as unlawful, negligent killing.
Media access was discussed at the 40-minute session and the magistrate ruled that there should be no live recording of the bail hearings.
Mr Pistorius's team had argued against such coverage and cited his "extremely traumatised state of mind".