Triathlete survives Savannah River alligator attack, plans to race Ironman anyway
Jonathan Bruney, a 31-year-old triathlon coach, survived an alligator attack during a practice swim in the Savannah River near North Augusta, South Carolina. Bruney, who was training for the upcoming Ironman Augusta, was bitten on the arm by a 4- to 5-foot alligator. He freed himself by targeting the animal's eyes, a technique he described as instinctual. Fellow athletes applied a tourniquet using a swim buoy cord, and Bruney was treated for injuries to skin and fat. Despite the incident, Bruney intends to compete in the Ironman next month, though he plans to avoid the front of the swim pack.
