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A top South African triathlete was dragged from his cycle while out on a training ride by three thugs armed with a chainsaw who tried to cut off both his legs.

Screaming Mhelgi Gwala, 27, was held down as the vicious trio fired up the chainsaw’s engine and cut half way through one leg then started on the other.

He was pulled from his bike during an early morning training ride in Durban near the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

However they suddenly stopped and fled into the night leaving the terrified runner, swimmer and cyclist in a pool of blood and terrified they would return.

A close friend of the athlete who has represented his country twice in international competitions said he believed the chainsaw was too blunt to finish the job.

The lack of a robbery motive is seen by his friend as a deliberate attack to cripple him before the national championships in 10 days time at Bloemfontein, South Africa.

According to his athletic sponsor Sue de la Porte, Gwala offered his attackers his cell phone and cash but they just pinned him down and tried to saw off his leg.

The blood-soaked victim was helped into a truck and rushed to hospital where he is said to be “alive and talking”.

Fellow triathlete Henri Schoeman tweeted:”Absolutely disgusting! How safe are we on SA roads?”.

Gwala has been part of the national programme for four years.