Ironman triathlete escapes alligator’s jaws by gouging it in the eye

Rebecca Sayce | Freelance Entertainment and SEO Reporter Published August 26, 2026 12:02pm Updated August 26, 2026 12:02pm Jonathan Bruney managed to get the creature to let go of his arm by poking it in the eye (Pictures: Instagram/j_bruney_/Getty) A 31-year-old triathlete narrowly escaped an alligator attack when it clamped down on his arm. Jonathan Bruney was training for an Ironman triathlon at 10.35am on August 23 when the alligator bit his right bicep while he swam in the Savannah River near 324 East Shoreline Drive, South Carolina. The beast pulled him underwater, but Bruney managed to escape after pushing his left thumb into the alligator’s eye to force it to let go. He then shouted to bystanders nearby, who rushed to assist the swimmer, creating a makeshift tourniquet for his arm.