A Florida man training for a triathlon was attacked by an alligator over the weekend while he was swimming in a lake near Orlando, but the reptile let him go when he started punching back.
According to this story in the Palm Beach Post 35-year old Doug McCard says he felt the gator clamp its jaws across his torso while he was in the midst of his training swim, and immediately knew what was happening, and thought "I can't believe a gator is biting me." He then stood u in the waist deep water, and began hitting the beast. When it retreated, he moved as fast as possible for the shore. McCard estimates that the alligator was between 8 and 10 feet in length.
McCard was later treated at a local hospital for the wounds he suffered, which included puncture wounds to his right shoulder, hipbone and back. While the wounds were not overly serious, he was kept over night for observation and to ensure that infection didn't set in.
The Florida man has been training for an Iron Man triathlon this summer and swims in the lake on a weekly basis as part of that process. He suspects that he startled the gator while passing too close to it, prompting the attack. He says he will return to training soon, but may avoid this particular lake for awhile, although trappers were hoping to capture the aggressive critter.
I've heard of some unusual training methods in my time, but using an alligator as a training aid seems a bit too much. It will probably make you faster though. Or maybe deader. ;)
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