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Mick Fanning, the three-time world champion surfer added another achievement under his belt. He fought off a shark and narrowly escaped an attack during the J-Bay Open surfing competition in South Africa.
A punch in the back
As the athlete was waiting of his first wave to demonstrate his surfing skills, a shark surfaced behind him. A live video feed showed a shocked Fanning struggling to escape and ultimately paddling away until rescue boats arrived. His board was completely destroyed by the shark.
“I was getting dragged under by my leg [rope], and then I felt like it kicked me off, but it was still there, and I was still attached to my board. I felt like it was dragging me under water, and then my leg rope broke, and I started swimming and screaming.” Fanning said.
He added:
“I just saw the fin, I didn’t see the teeth. I was waiting for the teeth to come at me as I was swimming … I punched it in the back.”
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The World Surf League cancelled the rest of the event, and the WSL Commissioner Kieren Perrow, along with the two event finalists, decided to award the second place in the competition to both finalists.
“We are incredibly grateful that no one was seriously injured today. Mick’s composure and quick acting in the face of a terrifying situation was nothing short of heroic and the rapid response of our water safety personnel was commendable,” Perrow said.
Watch a video of the attack, courtesy of Reuters:
https://youtu.be/KWuA-PDoqFM
SEE ASLO: A Massive Whale Shark Swims By A Diver. From Now On He Is World’s Bravest Man.
