In an unimaginable feat, Sarah Thomas has just become the first person to swim the English Channel four times without stopping. On September 17, Tuesday at 06:30 BST, she finished her long ordeal to successfully become an internationally lauded swimmer. Thomas’ name was registered and she now holds an enviable record.
An act of strength
Sarah’s grand feat comes just about a year after she completed her treatment for breast cancer. Thomas has declared that she would like to dedicate her success to all survivors of cancer. Speaking to BBC, she said, “I just can’t believe that we did it.” Reflecting on how she feels, she expressed, “I'm really just pretty numb. There were a lot of people on the beach to meet me and wish me well and it was really nice of them, but I feel just mostly stunned.”
“I'm really just pretty numb. There were a lot of people on the beach to meet me and wish me well and it was really nice of them, but I feel just mostly stunned.”
Unstoppable Sarah
The American woman swam the English Channel four times non-stop. Thomas swam for a continuous period of 54 hours and 13 minutes. The stretch is 84 miles long. But high tides meant that the 37-year-old had to swim for about 130 miles.
The challenges
Thomas told the BBC about the difficulties that she faced in her endeavour. “Every length had something that was really hard about it. Coming back from France the last time was definitely hard. It took forever and the current pushed me all over.” She even got stung by a jellyfish!
But the worst thing was “dealing with the salt water... it really hurts your throat, your mouth and your tongue.”
“Just when we think we’ve reached the limits of human endurance, someone shatters the records.”
Swimmer Lewis Pugh congratulated her. He tweeted, “Just when we think we’ve reached the limits of human endurance, someone shatters the records.”
Before Sarah Thomas, only four swimmers had previously crossed the English Channel three times. She is the first person to have completed a fourth leg.
Prapti is an intern with SheThePeople.TV
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