Chris Davidson was reportedly punched by a man outside a pub in South West Rocks, NSW, on September 24, 2022, causing him to fall to the ground and hit his head on the pavement. He was rushed to Kempsey Hospital but died shortly after. Davidson was 45.
The suspect, a 42-year-old man, was arrested at a home in South West Rocks less than two hours later. He was charged with assault causing death and refused bail.
Surfing magazine Tracks reported Davidson was a member of the Rip Curl Search team in the early 1990s, and that he was considered “one of the most gifted surfers in the world” at the peak of his career.
Chris Davidson was an Australian professional surfer, having won several gold medals.
Born January 1, 1978 in Sydney, Australia, Davidson’s career was kick-started in 1996 when aged just 19 he was granted a wildcard into the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach in Victoria.
In 2010, he was ranked number 14 globally in the sport.
After moving to South West Rocks he stopped surfing and became a professional ping pong player.
Chris Davidson represented Australia in three PingPong world titles.