Nyad told
her comrades that the doctor told her she should not remain
other two nights in the water for the additional risks that
jellyfish stings could have on her body in the long term, and
urged them to continue dreaming with this purpose.
This is
the third time that Nyad (62) tries to cross the Florida Strait.
In 1978 she had to give up due to terrible meteorological
conditions, and more recently, last August, due to strong asthma
symptoms for about 11 hours of the 29 she kept swimming.
At
present, the American swimmer holds a Guinness record in similar
conditions between Bimini (Bahamas) and Florida (102.5 miles –
164 kilometers), and other personal marks in long distance. From
1969 until 1979 she was world champion in this modality.
Nyad
started swimming on Friday 6.00 a.m from the Marina Hemingway,
in Havana, and kept swimming until 10:15 on Sunday morning. She
gave up at 11:00 a.m. after 117,000 strokes.
During the
journey, she and her team made a stop every 45 minutes for her
to take some rest, drink water, eat some food rich in calories
and carbohydrates, and to check her state of health.
In order
to project her from jellyfish attacks that irritated her face,
one of the divers put a neoprene hat for mountain climbers on
her face.
They also
used electronic protection to prevent some shark species from
getting closer, although the day before they had to get away a
white shark swimming close to the expedition.
A
journalist from the London journal Times, extolled the work of
elder people like Nyad, who are always ready for new challenges:
climbing mountains, competing, getting tattoos, and falling in
love...
