CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
Marathon swimmer and sportscaster Diana Nyad will embark on a 103-mile trip from the shores of Cuba to the Florida Keys with hopes of breaking her own 32-year-old world record for a long-distance swim in an open ocean.
Nyad, 61, is planning for a 60-hour swim during which she will not be protected by a shark cage. In 1997 an Australian woman swam the same distance in a shark cage, which was also pulled by a boat, which allowed her to finish the trek in less than 24 hours, according to The New York Times.
"Until a year ago, I hadn't swum a stroke for 31 years," Nyad said on her website.
"Swimmer's burnout gripped me to the point that I could have sworn I would never, ever swim a lap again in my life. But approaching 60 last year threw me into the existential angst of wondering what I had done with my life. I felt choked by how little time seemed left. I started swimming a few laps, just to take some pressure off the knees from all the other activities I enjoy."
From there, Nyad built upon her workouts until she felt she could swim the 103-mile journey. She said she now feels stronger than she did when she was 28, even if she isn't as fast.
For this journey, Nyad will be joined by a 22-person support team. While
she will likely experience jellyfish stings, raw skin from the salty
water, and the possibility of a shark encounter, Nyad's $500,000
adventure will be aided by technology that was unavailable to her for
her first attempt in 1978, including advanced navigation software and
shark shields. This will be the second attempt to swim from Cuba to Florida for Nyad, who once attempted the feat at age 28, restrained by a shark cage. Treacherous weather and disabling currents forced her to stop after 41 hours, but a year later, in 1979, Nyad swam 102 miles from the Bahamas to Jupiter, Fla., without a shark cage. Her record for the world's longest ocean swim still stands.
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Here Are Our 2024 Election Predictions. Will They Come True?
November 07 2023 1:46 PM
17 Celebs Who Are Out & Proud of Their Trans & Nonbinary Kids
November 30 2023 10:41 AM
Here Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S.
November 01 2023 5:09 PM
Which State Is the Queerest? These Are the States With the Most LGBTQ+ People
December 11 2023 10:00 AM
These 27 Senate Hearing Room Gay Sex Jokes Are Truly Exquisite
December 17 2023 3:33 PM
10 Cheeky and Homoerotic Photos From Bob Mizer's Nude Films
November 18 2023 10:05 PM
42 Flaming Hot Photos From 2024's Australian Firefighters Calendar
November 10 2023 6:08 PM
These Are the 5 States With the Smallest Percentage of LGBTQ+ People
December 13 2023 9:15 AM
Here are the 15 gayest travel destinations in the world: report
March 26 2024 9:23 AM
Watch Now: Advocate Channel
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Latest Stories
Ohio court temporarily blocks ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth
April 16 2024 5:33 PM
How library workers are defending books, democracy, and queer lives
April 16 2024 4:38 PM
Pride
Yahoo FeedKentucky couldn't pass a single anti-LGBTQ+ bill this session — and it's not alone
April 16 2024 2:35 PM