Diana Nyad completes Cuba-Florida swim at age 64!

What an amazing woman:

Diana Nyad has become the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without the help of a shark cage. The 64-year-old Nyad stepped ashore in Key West on Monday just before 2 p.m., about 53 hours after she began her swim in Havana on Saturday.




KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — Looking dazed and sunburned, U.S. endurance swimmer Diana Nyad walked on to the shore Monday, becoming the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without the help of a shark cage.

The 64-year-old Nyad swam up to the beach just before 2 p.m. EDT, about 53 hours after she began her journey in Havana on Saturday. As she approached, spectators waded into waist-high water and surrounded her, taking pictures and cheering her on.

"I have three messages. One is, we should never, ever give up. Two is, you're never too old to chase your dream. Three is, it looks like a solitary sport, but it is a team," she said on the beach.

"I have to say, I'm a little bit out of it right now," Nyad said. She gestured toward her swollen lips, and simply said "seawater."

Her team said she had been slurring her words while she was out in the water. She was on a stretcher on the beach and received an IV before she was taken by ambulance to a hospital.

"I just wanted to get out of the sun," she said.

It was Nyad's fifth try to complete the approximately 110-mile swim. She tried three times in 2011 and 2012. Her first attempt was in 1978.

"It's historic, marvelous," said Jose Miguel Diaz Escrich, the Hemingway Marina commodore who helped organize the Cuba side of Nyad's multiple attempts.

"I always thought she could do it given her internal energy, her mental and physical strength, her will of iron," said Diaz Escrich, whom Nyad has described as a longtime friend.

"More than the athletic feat, she wants to send a message of peace, love, friendship and happiness … between the people of the United States and Cuba," he said.

 

saw this in the news. Love this story. Age is just a number! keep strokin :smt038

 

Amazing!

 

Awesome lady!

 

I had read about swimmer Diana Nyad years ago. Way to go and congratulations for accomplishing such a feat without a shark cage!

 

I remember her failed attempts. I'm glad she did it.

 

Incredible! Hats off to Ms. Nyad!

 

swimming one mile in the ocean feels like swimming 3 miles in a pool. 110 miles in the ocean is incredible!!!! Very incredibly athletic woman!!!

 

An incredible woman and an amazing feat! :smt038

 

She kept on trying till she got it. Congrats to her

 

What an inspiration. It only proves we can do anything as long as we set our mind,body and spirit in a focus way.

 

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