Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 29
Triathlete Jonathan Bruney Fends Off 5-Foot Alligator During Savannah River Training
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 29

Triathlete Jonathan Bruney Fends Off 5-Foot Alligator During Savannah River Training

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 29

Summary

  • Jonathan Bruney said a 5- to 6-foot alligator struck his elbow while he was leading a training swim in the Savannah River near the Georgia-South Carolina border.
  • Two punches failed, and Bruney said he escaped by going up the snout and squeezing the animal's eye after realizing it was not a floating log.
  • On shore, a friend used a cord from Bruney's swim buoy to slow the bleeding while a bystander called 911 because none of the swimmers had phones.
  • Police and EMTs arrived within minutes, wrapped his arm and treated him as he became dizzy and felt his arm turn cold.
  • Doctors cleared Bruney to keep training for his Ironman race, and he said the attack would not stop him from returning to the water.

Insights

How will Ironman organizers guarantee athlete safety in a river known to harbor aggressive alligators?
Could relying on television survival tips actually save your life during a wild predator attack?
Are extreme sports pushing athletes too dangerously deep into untamed wildlife habitats?