Filipino surfer saves Indonesian rival from big waves amid gold medal battle

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino surfer Roger Casugay opted to rescue his Indonesian competitor Arip Nurhidayat and set aside the chance to win the gold medal for the surfing competition.

In a Facebook post on Friday, 2019 SEA Games featured Netizen Jefferson Ganuelas’ photo of Casugay’s heroic deed during the surfing competition at the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in La Union.

In the midst of the men’s longboard open competition for surfing, Indonesia’s Arip Nurhidayat broke his leash and was…

Posted by 2019 SEA Games on Friday, December 6, 2019

Ganuelas said Nurhidayat’s leash was detached from the surfboard during the competition. Casugay then came to the rescue after observing that his opponent was getting hit by big waves.

“The #seagames2019 surfing is on hold. Indonesian longboard sensation @mencosss broke his leash and swept away and being pounded by triple overhead bomb waves at monaliza pt. Local surfer @roger_casugay rescued him not minding the ongoing race for gold medal,” read the caption.

As of posting, the official Facebook page for the 2019 SEA Games announced that the surfing competition was put on hold.