Mexican open-water swimmer finishes 28.5 mile lap around Manhattan Island in record time
David Olvera (Mexico) plunged into the dark waters of the East River at 2 a.m. on 26 June, and circled New York City by the time the sun came up, in the fastest lap around Manhattan Island in history.
The 31-year-old open-water swimmer completed the 28.5 mi (45.9 km) race in just 5 hr 34 min 58 sec, shaving a full seven minutes off the prior record set by Andrew Donaldson (UK) in September last year.
By the time he swam through the Hudson, East, and Harlem Rivers, the thrilled (yet exhausted) athlete had overcome a heatwave, strong currents, and a near-miss from the Staten Island Ferry – but it was all worth it, as he took home a Guinness World Records title for fastest circumnavigation swim around Manhattan Island and set the speed record at the so-called ‘20 Bridges Swim’.
“It was pure joy,” David told the World Open Water Swimming Association. “I splashed the water, and it felt like I had won a 50 m free[style gold medal] in the Olympics. I started crying because it was amazing to prove to myself that I was the guy I told myself I was.
“I’ve had personal victories, but to actually accomplish something I set out to do – and see it manifested in real life – was different. It was an incredible feeling.”
To complete the 20 Bridges Swim, David started and finished his race at Mill Rock – an island between Manhattan and Queens. He started on the East River then swam up the Harlem, before changing direction to move downtown along the Hudson, and then finally curling back up the East River and ending at the rock.
Along the way, he passed by the twinkling lights of the New York City skyline, while cutting through the cold water and avoiding passing boats.
“Swimming through the island at night, under the stars, with no one around, I knew it was a moment I would remember for the rest of my life,” he said.
Along the way, he was accompanied by safety kayaker Alex Arévalo, who monitored the water and shouted encouragement, and his friend Mauricio, who helped him refuel by handing him food on a fishing pole.
“It wasn’t just about pushing hard,” he said. “It was about swimming smart and trusting my team’s decisions in that moment, knowing they believed in me to make the push.”
It took David just over five hours to finish the swim, but months to prepare for the journey: “I was swimming 50 to 60 kilometres a week, doing doubles almost every day, and some days I swam 13 kilometres,” he explained.
For 14 years, he’s been a member of the swim team Club Deportivo Potosino in Mexico, and credits his coaches and teammates for inspiring to persevere.
“Be grateful for every opportunity to train, and surround yourself with people who lift you up,” he advised other swimmers. “The water isn’t your enemy; it’s your partner in becoming who you want to be.”
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