# Alligator attack on triathlon coach

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/alligator-attack-on-triathlon-coach
> Updated: 2026-08-29T05:07:44.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2.

Triathlon coach Jonathan Bruney survived an alligator attack while conducting open-water training in the Savannah River near Augusta. The incident occurred during a rehearsal swim for the upcoming Ironman 70.3 Augusta race.

While leading a group of athletes, Bruney was struck by a roughly four-and-a-half-foot alligator. He reported that he initially mistook the impact for a submerged log before realizing the animal had clamped onto his upper arm. To prevent a ‘death roll’, Bruney grabbed the alligator’s head and pressed his thumb into its eye, which forced the reptile to release him.

Following the attack, Bruney experienced heavy bleeding. A fellow swimmer, Matthew Davis, utilized his training as a wilderness first responder to assist, using a piece of cord to create a makeshift tourniquet. Medical reports indicated that while the bite caused significant injury, it primarily affected the skin and fat tissue rather than muscle.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-29: Triathlon coach survives alligator attack in Savannah River

Triathlon coach Jonathan Bruney escaped an alligator attack in the Savannah River by gouging the animal's eye during an Ironman training session in South Carolina.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/triathlon-coach-survives-alligator-attack-in-savannah-river

### 2026-08-26: Triathlon coach survives alligator attack during training

Triathlon coach Jonathan Bruney escaped an alligator attack in the Savannah River while training athletes for an upcoming Ironman race in Augusta.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/triathlon-coach-survives-alligator-attack-during-training

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Cite as: Alligator attack on triathlon coach. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/alligator-attack-on-triathlon-coach