'Never give up': Watch as attacker wrestles woman, 24, to the ground in the gym before she fights him off
18 February 2023, 08:10 | Updated: 18 February 2023, 08:47
A woman who fought off an attacker who wrestled her to the ground in the gym has urged people in similar situations to "never give up".
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Nashali Alma, 24, was working out at the gym in her apartment block in Florida when a man asked to be let in.
"I buzzed him in, he came inside," she said. "My thought process was it was just another dude coming in to work out, so I didn't mind - I didn't think of anything out of out."
But shocking CCTV footage inside the gym shows the man first following her around before grabbing her.
Ms Alma initially hits the attacker back and tries to push him off her while also grabbing for her phone to call for help.
Warning: graphic video
24-Year-Old Fights Off Attacker, Shares Experience
She said: "As soon as he approached me I pushed him, I said 'bro what the eff are you doing? Get away from me, stop trying to touch me.
"He started chasing me around the bench and we ended up on the other side of the gym."
The sick assailant eventually manages to lift her off her feet and push her to the ground as he climbs on top of her.
But she carries on struggling and wrestling with him, until eventually he tires and lets her go, at which point footage shows her running off out of the gym.
Ms Alma added: "My advice would be to never give up. My parents always told me to never give up on anything, and that's one thing I always kept in my mind when I was fighting him.
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"As long as you don't give up, you fight back, you show him that you are strong, that you are one, that you are able to fight back, and survive and get out of the situation - I believe it's possible.
The attacker was arrested within 24 hours of the assault. Sheriff Chad Chronister said he was "grateful" that Ms Alma came forward.
"I know that her story is going to be an inspiration to other women," he added.
