"I encourage ESPYs to…change the category to Best Adaptive Athlete"

August 25, 2016 11:33 AM

Bethany Hamilton: surfing with only one arm isn't as hard as beating the stigma (Guardian)

In Bethany Hamilton’s mind, winning the ESPY award for best female athlete with a disability would have been like “rewinding back to square one”—square one being the fateful day 13 years ago when she was attacked by a 14ft tiger shark and lost her left arm.

Which is why, this year, she withdrew her name from consideration.

To Hamilton, the fact that she surfs with one arm is irrelevant. “I don’t look at it like, ‘Wow, I did a really good job with one arm.’ It’s just, ‘Wow, I did a good job on that wave.’”

The 2011 film Soul Surfer was inspired by Hamilton's life.

posted by Johnny Wallflower (4 comments total)

"..If anything, I encourage ESPYs to … change the category to Best Adaptive Athlete, so athletes that have adapted to unique situations in their life. I would have been stoked to be in the category if that was what it was called.”

Truly gnarly.
posted by porpoise at 1:38 PM on August 25, 2016

I adored her already, but this tripled the love. As a disabled person who's been ambivalent at "inspirational" labels at times, I can say Hamilton is one of the truly inspirational people in sports.
posted by DrAstroZoom at 1:47 PM on August 25, 2016 [3 favorites]

There are so many really good people in surfing. Bethany's one of the best.
posted by blob at 2:16 PM on August 25, 2016

I get it. After a while I am sure she was like, "Fuck off with the questions, I just wanna surf." It's like being left handed. After a while you get tired of talking about it.
posted by zzazazz at 2:17 PM on August 25, 2016