Lugubere robbery: men saw legs of a triathlete

durban - A very lugubrious story from South Africa. Triathlete Mhlengi Gwala has been pulled off his bicycle by unknown men on his way to a training in the neighborhood of Durban. The attackers then did a bizarre attempt to cut his two legs.

That is what the training buddy of Gwala, Sandile Shange, told the BBC. It would have been a purposeful attempt to cut off the athlete's legs. 'He thought he was robbed, so he already offered his phone, bike and watch. But the perpetrators were not out on his stuff. He was dragged into the bushes, where they put a saw into his leg. They kept on looking until they hit the bone and the saw got stuck. Then they started on the other leg ', Shange told the BBC.

The victim is out of danger. In the hospital, doctors managed to save both legs of the athlete. 'He will be able to walk again, but the recovery will take a long time,' says Shange. Gwala would participate in the national championship next month.

The South African police report to investigate the case as an attempted murder. The background of the lugubrious story must become clearer later.

Countryman Henri Schoeman, winner of Olympic bronze on the triathlon, expresses his horror at the attack. According to Schoeman, it was an attack with a chainsaw.