216km swim. Sarah Thomas beat cancer and swam across the English Channel four times

216km swim. Sarah Thomas beat cancer and swam across the English Channel four times

To set the record, she had to spend 54 hours in the water.

The English Channel has long been one of the favorite destinations for ultra-long distance swimmers. On September 17, 37-year-old American Sarah Thomas became the first person who managed to swim across the Channel four times without stopping. Sarah had been battling cancer earlier that year and had just recently completed her treatment. Previously, only four athletes have managed to swim the Channel three times without stopping.

Sarah Thomas started the morning of September 15 and completed the swim around 6:30 a.m. on the 17th. She spent a total of 54 hours and 10 minutes in the water. Sarah had to swim 216 kilometers instead of the planned 130 due to strong currents, tides and currents.

Thomas said that the most trouble she had was the salt water. The mucous membranes of her mouth and throat suffered due to the constant exposure to seawater. In addition, the swimmer was also stung in the face by a jellyfish.

Swimming across the English Channel has its own rules, which were established by the Channel Swimming Association founded in 1927.

• Even in very cold water, athletes are not allowed to use wetsuits – instead, swimmers are allowed to apply a special fatty composition.
• Athletes are not allowed to touch the boat or the chaperones.
• During the swim, power is delivered using a pole or rope. Matthew Webb, the first man to conquer the English Channel (1875), was fed on chicken eggs mixed with brandy. He was also fed on sandwiches, roast beef and meat extract.

After Sarah Thomas set the record, the event was celebrated with champagne and chocolate. However, the girl due to severe fatigue was able to eat only a small piece. The only thing the swimmer wanted was to get to bed as soon as possible.

Unbelievable, amazing, just superhuman. Just when we start to think we’ve reached the limits of human endurance, someone breaks the records,” tweeted British ultra-long distance swimmer Lewis Pugh.

The evening before the swim, Sarah admitted on Facebook that she wasn’t very confident in her abilities: “I’ve been waiting for this swim for over two years and I’ve had to put up a tough fight to end up here. Am I 100% ready? No. But I’m going to give the best performance I can right now.”

Sarah Thomas has swam the ultra-long course many times before. The girl has been swimming open water since 2007, she first crossed the Channel in 2012 and then again in 2016. Her personal bests followed one after the other. However, that year she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and not only her athletic career, but her life was in jeopardy.

Last October, I found a lump in my breast. In November, I was officially diagnosed with cancer. At this time last year I couldn’t swim and I didn’t even imagine that I would be able to in the future,” Sarah Thomas told the Financial Times.

Sarah dedicated this swim to all those who are battling cancer and have beaten it.

“This is dedicated to you, those who have just started their journey of fighting the disease, and those for whom the disease is in the past, and all those who are still fighting it. You are all in my heart and I will sail for your health and future. We are stronger together, each and every one of us,” she wrote before the swim on Facebook.

Thomas’ teammates said swimming has helped her greatly during her difficult treatment. Sarah’s mom Becky Baxter admitted that this swim was the most intimidating for her. According to Baxter, her daughter developed stomach pains during the swim and her team became seriously worried about the swimmer’s health.
Surprisingly, Sarah didn’t eat anything during the swim, but only drank isotonics containing protein and caffeine.