Merimbula's John Wheele takes out bronze in the Para World Surfing Championships.

The final was a nail-biter in choppy conditions, as three surfers vied for podium positions as the 20 minute final wound down.

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Scoring a 4.33 and a 3.0 early to hold the lead through the majority of the final, John was pipped by the final runs of Portugal's Camilo Abdula and Brazil's Roberto Pino who took gold and silver in an electric end to the competition.

With some controversy the Brazilian had a score dropped for interference, but with seconds to go scored an incredible 8.57 with an impressive backside attack to leap John and take the top spot.

However it wasn't over, with a score for Portugal's Camilo Abdula yet to be registered who was 0.98 behind John and needing a 5.05 to jump to the top spot.

Doing just enough with a 5.7, John dropped to third place in what commentators described as "one of the most entertaining finals ever called."

Gracious in defeat John was the first to embrace an emotional Camilo Abdula, as the pair shared a special moment.

John blitzed his heat with total of 16.83, including an impressive 9.0 to see him through to the final.

"I was just waiting for one of those lefts, I've been spotting them all morning. I was waiting for the right one to come along and it did, and I was lucky enough to get two nice turns in," John said after the heat.

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