Meet Diana Nyad - The marathon swimming athlete and the first person to swim non-stop and unassisted from Cuba to Florida without the use of a shark cage or fins. She achieved this at the age of 65 after 4 previous failed attempts. A feat not only in endurance swimming but also in endurance faith.
The waters between Cuba and Florida are riddled with sharks and several kinds of stingers such as Portuguese man-of-war and the lethal box jellyfish - both of which stung NYAD several times on her attempts. The latter of which she still holds fierce scars and was reportedly the cause of failed attempt number 4 due to causing respiratory distress.
She was so driven to complete the swim that she developed a special mask and body suit to combat the stings. A life-or-death decision as further exposure to the stinger toxin could very likely kill her. When asked about her motivation, she answered, "Because I'd like to prove to the other 60-year-olds that it is never too late to start your dreams."
In her fifth attempt after 53 hours in the water and completing the gruelling 180km swim, Nyad arrived in Key West, wobbly-legged and victorious.
She was known for travelling with a support crew who were all unpaid and passionate about her goals. There has been some rebuke to the validity of her achievement due to documentation inconsistencies. In response, she says: "We swam fair and square, squeaky clean across that thing" - and here at SÜK, we 1000% believe her.
0 comments
