Ultra-swimmer Andy Donaldson units world document with 55km Ord River problem

An Australian marathon swimmer has set a world document by swimming 55 kilometres in 11 hours and 51 minutes in Western Australia’s north.

Ultra-swimmer Andy Donaldson began the problem by purple cliffs, quick currents and 1000’s of freshwater crocodiles simply after 5am yesterday on the Lake Argyle Dam wall, reaching the Diversion Dam in Kununurra after 5pm.

“The last kilometre of the swim is really, really special,” he stated as he emerged from the water, cheered on by locals. 

Simone Blaser, the primary particular person to do the Ord River extremely swim two years in the past in 16 hours and 13 minutes, accompanied Mr Donaldson on his problem and even swam a stretch with him.  

An adventurous swim 

Mr Donaldson isn’t any stranger to excessive challenges as he has damaged a number of world data and is the primary particular person to finish the Ocean Sevens in a yr. 

The reminiscence of the white cliffs of Dover disappearing behind him as he set a record-breaking swim throughout the English Channel was etched in his thoughts as he ready for his longest solo swim problem by the purple cliffs of the Ord.

But Mr Donaldson stated he was “blown away” by the Kimberley’s distinctive surroundings. 

“I think that’s probably the best place where I’ve ever swam in my life,” he stated.   

“I think that swim could really become a bucket list challenge for any swimmers around the world.” 

The Scottish-Australian swimmer was nicely conscious that whereas the Ord is monster-free, he was going to share the water with 1000’s of freshwater crocodiles.

He stated he was not apprehensive about swimming within the higher Ord, a well-liked leisure spot for locals.

“You are in their environment in their home, you need to be respectful,” Mr Donaldson stated.

But Mr Donaldson reassured a toddler asking him if he had any shut encounters with crocs that he solely noticed those on his coach’s toes. 

The why powering him on

Mr Donaldson stated the dam-to-dam swim, which had been deliberate for the final 13 months, was not only a private problem however a “celebration of all things swimming”.

He was invited to Kununurra by native photographer and swim membership president Ben Broady, who stated not having a public pool for 2 years had negatively impacted native youngsters’s swimming abilities and water consciousness.

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“It’s like having a kid missing school for two years, it’s not good,” he stated.

The ultra-swimmer visited East Kimberley faculties and ran clinics, hoping to encourage locals to remain lively and bodily and mentally wholesome within the distant neighborhood, the place a brand new Olympic-sized pool will open within the subsequent couple of months.

Kununurra teenager Chyanne stated swimming within the Ord River was “refreshing and very calming”, however she seemed ahead to swimming in a “bigger and better” pool. 

In the meantime, she received the prospect to swim in the identical lane as Mr Donaldson within the close by city of Wyndham and felt impressed. 

“It made me very confident about myself,” Chyanne stated.  

Mr Donaldson stated sharing the problem with a crew and having a supportive neighborhood behind him gave him the additional drive wanted.

“You might be the only one swimming, but you have people in your corner, by your side through thick and thin,” he stated. 

Mr Donaldson defined endurance sports activities have been extra about mindset than pure health.

“You are spending hours alone with your own thoughts and that can be tough and isolating and lonely,” he stated.

But having a “powerful why” behind every problem propelled him ahead.