Gutsy one-armed Hawaiian surfer Bethany Hamilton has won hearts across the world for her courageous turn at the Fiji Pro.

Hamilton qualified for the semi-finals of the event, after dispatching Australian Nikki Van Dijk on Tuesday morning after beating Aussies, world number one Tyler Wright and six-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore.

The 26-year-old, who lost her arm to a shark attack at age 13 in 2003, won with waves of 6.00 and 6.33 in a low-scoring quarter-final.

• Anger mounts over gorilla death: FULL VIDEO
• Seething Ricciardo left with bitter taste in his mouth
• Michelle Payne may lose pancreas after horror fall

Van Dijk needed a ride of 5.90 or better from her final wave, but could only muster a score of 4.83 to go down by 1.07.

Van Dijk was the third Australian Hamilton had beaten during the event.

She first knocked out world ratings leader Tyler Wright in the second round, before defeating six-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore in the third round.

She lost her semi-final to French surfer Johanne Defay.