Last year on April 8th, Slovenian marathon swimmer Martin Strel became the first man to swim the entire length of the Amazon River. He swam 3,274 miles from the headwaters in Peru to the Brazilian port city of Belém.
The task took him 66 days with a support crew of near twenty people following him in a boat for protection.
Strel had already swum the Danube, the Mississippi, and the Yangtze. In 1997, he became the first to swim non-stop from Africa to Europe, which he did in 29 hours, 36 minutes, and 57 seconds. Seven previous swimmers had attempted -- and failed -- that swim before Strel.
When Strel reached the finish line at Belém, he had to be helped to his feet and ushered into a wheelchair. His blood pressure was at heart-attack levels and his entire body was full of subcutaneous larvae.
You can click the link below the read a fascinating interview with Strel.
Sources:
* Four Hour Work Week July 1, 2008
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