Greek American swimmer completes Cuba to Florida swim at 64 years old

Greek-American swimmer Diana Nyad completes 110-mile Cuba to Florida Swim. Diana broke the world record at 64. As soon as she waded ashore she said to a cheering crowd: ”We should never, ever give up … You never are too old to chase your dreams.”

After more than 52 hours of swimming, Diana Nyad, 64, has made history, swimming from Cuba to Florida without a protective shark cage or the help of flippers.

Nyad, began the swim from Cuba in the morning of August 31, 2013. This was her fifth bid to swim from Havana, Cuba to Florida, a distance of about 110 miles (177 kilometers), accompanied by a 35-person support team, swimming without a shark cage but protected from jellyfish by a silicone mask, a full bodysuit, gloves and booties.

Jellyfish stings have helped thwart her attempts before, so divers were swimming ahead of her, collecting jellyfish and moving them out of Nyad’s path.

Before reaching Florida, she broke Penny Palfrey’s 2012 distance record for the Cuba to Florida swim, putting Nyad closer to Key West than anyone swimming without a shark cage.

At approximately 1:55 pm EDT on September 2, 2013, Nyad emerged onto the beach in Key West, about 53 hours after she began her journey.

Dozens of onlookers — some in kayaks and boats, others wading in the water or standing on shore — cheered her on as she wrapped up the swim.

She set a record for the longest ocean swim without a shark cage or flippers, according to her crew.

Greek Reporter