The former navy clearance diver now aims to represent Australia in swimming at the 2012 Paralympic Games.

The inspirational 31-year-old returned to his old school, StEdmund's College, in Griffith, yesterday to speak about the attack and his remarkable recovery.

It was 7am on February 11 when de Gelder took part in an underwater trial to test naval defence technology and saw the 3m bull shark below him in the murky waters off Garden Island Naval Base near Woolloomooloo in Sydney Harbour.

''I tried to poke the shark in the eye, but it had my hand, so I tried to poke it with my other hand,'' de Gelder said. ''I couldn't reach, so I tried to push it off, but my hand slipped off, so I tried to punch it. The shark then started shaking me, and then it was gone.

For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times