The history of competitive water sports in southern Africa

“Last weekend, I broke the state records for freestyle in the 400, 800and 1500 m distances – the last by five minutes and three seconds. I’m aiming for a medal in Edmonton next year!”

With these words, Damon Kendrick ended a short but inspiring story. The thing that makes Damon unique is that he lost a leg during a shark attack 30 years ago – and that it was in able bodied competition that he set new state records. Damon lives in Perth, West Australia now, but grew up in a swimming family in South Africa. Originally in competitive swimming, he gave that up first for gymnastics, then springboard diving.

On Sept. 13, 1974, he was part of a Junior Lifesaving training group for a major swim meet the next day. During the last surf swim of the day, an older boy suddenly yelled to everyone to swim to shore as fast as they could. “He’d been bumped by the shark, and knew that according to a shark’s attack pattern, we had some time while the shark circled around to attack,” explained Damon.

About three meters from shore, in water less than one meter deep, Damon was about to drop his feet and start running when he was grabbed from behind. He found himself being shaken (much like a toy shaken by a dog), then dragged underwater.

Fortunately, however, the next wave tore Damon loose and washed him to shore. The other members of the team, all lifesavers, immediately started standard first aid procedures for shark attack while waiting for the ambulance. At the hospital, as soon as he realized that his leg had been amputated, Damon made a conscious decision.

“I decided that I could cry, but that wouldn’t bring my leg back,” explained Damon, “or I could get on with life and not let a missing leg interfere with what I wanted to do. I chose the latter. ”Damon continued with springboard diving, even though there wasn’t a disabled athlete category.

Ten years later, he came in second in the National Open and fourth in the National Championship. During that time, winter training involved using a trampoline, and one day Damon started asking questions about the technique of another athlete. That man turned out to be a trapeze artist who volunteered to show Damon the ropes. “I was hooked.”

For a number of years, I worked winters as a trapeze artist and when I finally gave up diving, I joined a circus that toured South Africa. “I used to walk into the ring dressed the same as everyone else, but would take my leg off before performing. There was always some kid in the audience who would comment ‘look, that man just threw away his leg’,” laughed Damon.

Thirty years later, Damon has gone full circle and is swimming again. Next July, he’ll be in Edmonton to compete in the 400 m disabled category.