The amazing and inspirational story of Kaua'i surfer Bethany Hamilton keeps getting better.

Hamilton won two heats yesterday to advance to the semifinals of the Roxy Surf Festival women's professional contest at Woolamai Beach, Australia.

Hamilton, 17, lost her entire left arm in a shark attack off Kaua'i in 2003.

"I want to start off by giving Jesus all the glory because he's the reason I can surf and mentally make it through every day," she said. "I'm so stoked with these results and my goal is to win the whole event so I'm just going to do my best."

Contest director Jodi Cooper said: "I don't think a lot of people fathom the effort this young lady goes through to not only paddle out, but the technique it takes to stand up and then once she's up, the balance and body rotation she demonstrates, to complete those big turns."

The semifinals are scheduled to run today.