01/19/2025
Holy s**t this person is talented
In the past few days, I have been tagged in multiple posts and made aware that my English Channel Swim track is being shared as an amusing, terrible map/track and as a result I have had comments about being drunk during the swim, avoiding small boats, avoiding sewage, I should have just taken the train or ferry, I didn't even make it to France and even some comments on I should be a better swimmer. As a result, I have decided to share my track and explain a few things as I'm fed up with snarky comments.
This is my English Channel Swim track. What the image doesn't show you and what is important is -
- I completed my English Channel Swim in a time of 29 hours and 4 minutes, resulting in 3 different world records.
- I swam through 2 nights
- I am a wheelchair user and a disabled/adaptive swimmer. As a result of my disabilities I am unable to kick my legs.
- The swim was on a large spring tide, and the zigzag pattern is where the tide changes every 6 hours. As it was a spring tide, I was pushed even further up/down the channel each time the tide changed.
- I raised £6000 for charity, which in turn meant that over 1000 swimming teachers were trained to become disability specialists so that more people with disabilities can learn to swim in a safe and nurturing environment.
What I'm trying to say is that my swim was incredible, a show of true grit and determination, and showed that those with disabilities shouldn't be overlooked. My swim went on far longer than I could ever have expected or imagined, but I crawled up a beach in Calais in 29 hours and 4 minutes and became the 3112th person to swim the English Channel Solo. That is what matters.