CNN (U.S.), REUTERS
HAVANA — At the remarkable age of 64, American long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad reached the shores of Key West on Monday afternoon, becoming the first person to swim from Cuba across the Florida Straits without a shark cage.
Congratulations to @DianaNyad. Never give up on your dreams.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 2, 2013
CNN reports that dozens of onlookers — some in kayaks and boats, others wading in the water or standing on shore — cheered her on as she completed her swim in 53 hours.
Reuters recalls that the dangerous Florida Straits had been conquered only once — by Australian Susie Maroney, who used a protective cage at age 22 during a 1997 swim.
#DianaNyad has broken swimmer Penny Palfrey’s “12 distance record in #CubaToFlorida Read this @CNN https://t.co/j8kVKVlYb4
— Diana Nyad (@diananyad) September 2, 2013
Check out Nyad’s route on her website.
