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Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau, via Associated Press
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Yesterday, Diana Nyad became the first person to swim from Cuba to Key West without a shark cage. And only the second person, both women, do it every. The swim is 110 miles.
(Shark cages provide both protection from sharks and a drafting advantage. They block some water current so the swim is theoretically easier.)
Diana Nyad is an author, former queen bee squash player, and one bad ass open water swimmer. One of my favorite parts of her story is that this was her fifth attempt in 35 years to complete this swim.
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| Diana delivering her three messages. (Huffington Post) |
Jelly fish puffy, salt water and sun burnt, Diana emerged from the water after her nearly 53 hour swim to say:
"I have three messages. One is we should never, ever give up. Two is you never are too old to chase your dreams. Three is it looks like a solitary sport, but it takes a team."
I am amazed she could speak at all, let alone remember the moral of the story.
Oh, did I mention she is 64?
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| Photo by Associated Press /Chattanooga Times Free Press. |
Congratulations Diana.
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Alejandro Ernesto / EPA
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More reading, in case you are as fascinated as I am with this extreme athlete's mental and physical accomplishment:
http://www.diananyad.com
Article with an interactive map. Map has the record of Diana's route with details along the way:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/03/sports/nyad-completes-cuba-to-florida-swim.html?_r=0
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/02/diana-nyad-swim-cuba-florida1
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/diana-nyads-success-all-her-head-experts-say-8C11069093
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