Hero Filipino Surfer Praised For Saving His Competitor From Drowning During 2019 SEA Games
A true display of sportsmanship.
By Liew Ashley — 08 Dec 2019, 04:06 PM
Philippines surfer, Roger Casugay, missed the chance to be crowned champion after saving his Indonesian competitor from drowning
According to a Facebook post, the Filipino surfer rescued his Indonesian rival Arip Nurhidayat during the third round of the men's surfing longboard competition on Friday, 6 December.
Nurhidayat's surfboard leash broke in the middle of the match, thus causing him to lose his board. Casugay proceeded to rescue his opponent after seeing him get pounded by the big waves.
The two surfers were then pictured sharing a single surfboard as they tried to escape the crashing waves
Shortly after, personnel on speedboats escorted them back to the beach to safety, where they were met with cheers and applause from the audience.
Upon arrival, the pair were seen laughing and smiling, with Nurhidayat raising Casugay's hand to show his appreciation
Casugay's sacrifice has been praised by many netizens, with the Philippine Sports Commission also commending him in a Tweet
The Commission tweeted about the heroic act and applauded the 25-year-old for showing a "heart of a champion".
Meanwhile, the event has been postponed until further notice
Due to typhoon Kammuri, multiple sports have been affected, with surfing being one of the worst-hit sports at the 2019 SEA Games.
The surfing event has already been delayed three times due to the bad weather, and organizers are prioritising athletes and spectator safety over everything else.
Typhoon Kammuri is only one of the many challenges the 2019 SEA Games have encountered.
The Games began on Saturday, 30 November, but faced multiple issues leading up to it:
