Achmat Hassiem

Achmat Hassiem (born 6 May 1982) is a South African swimmer who was injured in an attack by a great white shark. He competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics and he competed at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London.

Personal life Hassiem was born on 6 May 1982 in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. He attended Bergvliet High School in Bergvliet, a suburb of Cape Town.

In 2006, his right leg was severed by a four-and-a-half metre long great white shark whilst he was training for lifesaving exams at Muizenberg beach with his brother Tariq; the lower portion of his leg was subsequently amputated. Because of the manner in which he sustained his disability Hassiem is nicknamed "Sharkboy".

He is tall and weighs .

He was selected to represent South Africa at the 2012 Summer Paralympics held in London, where he competed in the 100 metres butterfly and the 100 and 400 metres freestyle events. On 1 September 2012, Hassiem won a bronze medal in the 100 m butterfly, setting a new African record of 57.76 seconds in the final.