Sarah Thomas, a 37-year-old cancer survivor, swims across the 21-mile English Channel. She said she was stung on the face by a jellyfish during her epic swim, in which she crisscrossed the channel four times, a journey that ended up being more than 130 miles because of the tides.
Jon Washer/AP
By BRAKKTON BOOKERÂ | NPR
Sarah Thomas, an American ultramarathon swimmer, has just completed a swim that no other human on the planet has ever accomplished.
The 37-year-old from Colorado plunged into waters off the shore of Dover, England, in the wee hours of Sunday morning. Her goal: swim across the English Channel.
Then do it again.
And again.
And again.
Thomas completed the final leg of her swim at around 6:30 a.m. local time Tuesday in just over 54 hours— the first person to cross the channel four times without stopping.
According to the Channel Swimming Association, the English Channel is about 21 miles wide.
In an interview with the BBC, Thomas said she was in disbelief that she had done it and was surprised by a group of well-wishers who were waiting for her on shore when she got out of the water.