Sarah Thomas: Cancer survivor becomes the first person to swim four times in the English Channel



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Sarah Thomas, a Colorado open water marathon swimmer, completed the record feat towards 6:30 am Tuesday morning, more than 54 hours after leaving the British port of Dover.

After landing at Shakespeare Beach on the south coast of the United Kingdom, Thomas, 37, said she felt "a little sick," but that she had been encouraged by her husband and his team to continue, according to the British Press Association. She was pictured celebrating her feat with chocolates and champagne on the beach.

"I was really very numb, there were a lot of people to meet me and wish me good luck, and that was really kind of them, but I'm pretty stunned right now, I can not just do not believe we did it, "she said in a video clip of an upcoming documentary published on the BBC's website.

Thomas said the most difficult part of the challenge was saltwater, adding that she was "losing her voice".

Despite the length of the swim, Thomas said that she "knew what to expect from currents, weather and cold," and was "very prepared for the amount of time she was going to pass "in the water.

Thomas's success comes just one year after completing his treatment for breast cancer. Writing on Facebook before the challenge, she admitted to being "scared" and said the channel could do "a lot of crazy things".

"I had been waiting for this swim for over two years and I fought so hard to get here," she wrote. "Am I 100% No, but I'm the best I can be now, with what I've experienced, with more shots and more fights than ever before."

Thomas dedicated his swim to the other cancer survivors before embarking on the challenge of the UK's south coast.

"The hype that led to this swim was a bit annoying.I hope I will not let you down after all that! Just increase the volume for me on the last lap, I'll need to any possible help, get. "

She has dedicated her swim to "all survivors" and to all who start their "journey against cancer".

"It is for those of us who have prayed for our lives, who have wondered with despair of the future, and have fought against the pain and fear of overcoming," she wrote.

"It was for our family and friends who held us in their arms and gave us the strength and support we needed in the most difficult times."

Thomas's achievements have drawn praise from personalities from the world of swimming and beyond. Lewis Pugh, an endurance swimmer best known for his first crossing of the North Pole, described it as "extraordinary, amazing, superhuman".

"Just when we think we have reached the limit of human endurance, somebody is destroying records," he wrote on Twitter. "Congratulations to Sarah Thomas for continually swimming the English Channel 4x."

He added: "Sarah Thomas overcame 5 major obstacles to become the first person to cross the English Channel four times non-stop: 1. Cold 2. Jellyfish 3. Great exhaustion 4. Maintaining her spirit 5. Believe it was possible. "

Matthew Pinsent, a retired British rower who has won four Olympic gold medals in a row, added: "Fantastic stamina, ask the question: what have you / I been doing for 50 hours? swim the Channel four times in a row! Brava Sarah Thomas. "

During the swim, Thomas relied on a diet of protein-filled beverages full of electrolytes and caffeine, she told the BBC. She also admitted to being stung in the face by a jellyfish during her passages.

The route planned by Thomas was to last about 80 miles, but she ended up swimming more than 130 km after being diverted by strong currents.
Tuesday's exploit is not the first time Thomas has crossed the Channel; It crossed for the first time the busiest sea route in the world in 2012, in 11 hours and 22 minutes.

Document the exploit

Thomas's historic achievement should feature in Jon Washer's documentary "The Other Side".

Washer told CNN that he had met Thomas through marathon swimmer Elaine Howley. "Elaine, one of Sarah's crew members, is a good friend of mine and introduced me to Sarah," he said.

The two groups that reach the peak of human endurance? Extreme athletes and pregnant women

"We knew his story deserved to be told and we started producing The Other Side through a successful crowdfunding campaign, and we're here."

He said filming the crossing for the last 60 hours was "a nightmare".

"But Sarah is so strong and inspiring that there was no room for failure on my part, and we're not about to finish," he said.

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