Australian world champion surfer Stephanie Gilmore has opened up about a vicious assault that almost cost her her life, as well as her career.
Gilmore has proved herself as a talented surfer and six-time world champion.
But a traumatic incident in her past put her career on the rocks and haunted her with sleepless nights and horrific flashbacks, she told The Australian.
Gilmore became the victim of a violent attack outside her apartment block in Tweed Heads, New South Wales, on the night of December 27, 2010.
World champion surfer Stephanie Gilmore (pictured) has opened up about a vicious assault that almost cost her her life as well as her career
Gilmore (pictured) became the victim of a violent attack outside her apartment block in Tweed Heads, New South Wales, on the night of December 27, 2010
Gilmore has proved herself as a talented surfer and six-time world champion
Gilmore said on the night of the attack she noticed a strange figure loitering outside the building and immediately felt something was wrong.
‘He’s tinkering with a piece of wood, something like that. I remember thinking, ‘That’s a bit weird’,’ she told The Australian.
‘Human intuition is an incredible thing, hey?’
She went on to recall: ‘He has a crowbar in his hand and he’s running at me… I can’t get away — there’s nowhere to go.’
The man proceeded to hit her four times repeatedly with a metal bar in the building’s stairwell while she pleaded with him to stop.
He left her bleeding and confused, fleeing the scene on a BMX bike.
Gilmore’s friends would spend the night tracking down her attacker. Later that night, she heard the news from hospital they had found him.
Her attacker emerged as Julius Sterling Fox, 27, a homeless man who was sentenced to four years behind bars. He was released from prison in 2014.
Many speculate that the unprovoked and shocking assault cost Gilmore a record fifth consecutive world title.
the brave surfing star did not let the cruel attack get the better of her or her glowing career
Gilmore’s friends would spend the night tracking down her attacker. Later that night, she heard the news from hospital that they had found him
Many speculate that the unprovoked and shocking assault cost Gilmore a record fifth consecutive world title
She admitted to The Australian: ‘I’m pretty shaken for the next year and a half. Don’t want to be in dark areas. Home almost feels like the most unsafe place to be.’
However the brave surfing star did not let the cruel attack get the better of her.
She went on to win further world titles in 2012 and 2014. Gilmore claimed the Bells Beach title in March of this year, aged 30.
‘Time goes on. You heal. You start being able to talk about it without wanting to cry,’ she said.
She went on to win further world titles in 2012 and 2014. Gilmore claimed the Bells Beach title in March of this year, aged 30
‘Time goes on. You heal. You start being able to talk about it without wanting to cry,’ she said