Bethany Hamilton

Bethany Hamilton Back on Her Board! (http://www.el-mundo.es/magazine/2004/231/1077898238.html)

I chose Bethany Hamilton because she got her arm bitten off yet, today she still surfs. She went to her first competition at age 11. Her longed dream of becoming a surfer was interrupted on October 31, 2003, when she got her arm bitten off by a 14 ft tiger shark while surfing off of Kauai’s North Shore. The shark may have bitten her arm off but she didn’t lose her courage to fulfill her dream of becoming a pro-surfer. I’m sure I’m not the only person that has been so inspired but what she has done but one thing is for sure I’m really and truly inspired but her. During the month of July 2004, Bethany won the 2004 ESPY Award for Best Comeback Athlete. She dominated the 2005 National Scholastic Surfing Association Nationals Championships, taking 1st place in the Explorer Women’s division. Some of her heroic trades are braveness and strength.

I think that she is really strong because just after a couple weeks she was back on the water. On January 10, 2005 she was back in competition, and placed fifth in her category at the Open Women Division of a National Scholastic Surfing Association meet at Banyans. People say that she has been surfing ever since she could walk. Her parents and her brothers surf, too. Bethany Hamilton was born on February 8, 1990 in North Shore, Kauai (located in Hawaii). She, like both her parents and siblings found a love for surfing. She taught herself to surf at only age five!

Amazingly, while Bethany was still in elementary school she won the push-in division of a Quiksilver surfing contest. She won the short board and long board competitions in the seven-nine divisions at the age of eight. During the February of 2002, Bethany Hamilton placed first in the under thirteen girls, first in the under seventeen girls, and second place in the under twelve boys divisions of the Volcom Puffer Fish surfing contest. Still to this day she lives in Kauai.

Now I will tell you about why I chose her. I think that she is a great example to show courage and bravery. Her arm got bitten off and just a couple of weeks she was back on her board. I think that she could be anyone’s hero. She is a great role model and a great hero for anyone. Some people might not think that she’s a hero and they might think that she’s just a celebrity, but I know I’m not the only kid that thinks she’s a hero.