Bethany Hamilton RULES.
Girl Who Lost Arm to Shark Surfs in Meet
Jan 11, 1:09 PM (ET)
KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii (AP) - Teen surfer Bethany Hamilton returned to competition just 10 weeks after losing her left arm in a shark attack.
The 13-year-old Hamilton placed fifth in her age group in the Open Women Division of a National Scholastic Surfing Association meet at Banyans on Saturday.
"It was definitely a good start," Hamilton said.
It was Hamilton's first meet since the weekend before she was attacked Oct. 31, although she returned to the water Thanksgiving Day.
Hamilton began with a modest 2-foot wave, but caught a 6-footer during her quarterfinal heat. She kicked her left leg to help propel her 6-foot-2 surfboard into waves, and occasionally struggled when pushing off the board with one hand.
"Once I get up on the board, I'm OK," Hamilton said. "Sometimes it's hard to get there."
Hamilton rejected any special treatment, said Bobbi Lee, NSSA Hawaii Conference director.
"I offered to give her more time (between heats) or put her in a more favorable heat," Lee said. "She refused. She said she wanted to be treated like anybody else."
Joshua Edelstein, on Monday, January 12, 2004 at 11:28 AM:
How sad is it that as of this comment, this story is NOT on the Surfer Magazine homepage?
Melicent Young, on Tuesday, January 13, 2004 at 8:19 PM:
Way to go, Bethany! You don't let anything stop you, much less a shark. You're smart and you get right back into the swing of things. You'll go far in life!
beth, on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 at 10:04 AM:
its really cool how you just get right back to surfing even thoe all the things you when threw with the shark attack
Ashley, on Friday, March 5, 2004 at 2:14 PM:
You're really an inspiration to everyone, Bethany! I really hope you achieve your goals!