HAVANA, Cuba (ACN) — 62-year-old US swimmer Diana Nyad on Saturday began her fourth attempt to cross the Florida Strait, which was originally scheduled for Sunday morning, from the Ernest Hemingway Marina, in western Havana, Cuba.
Already in the water and before beginning her crossing, Nyad told reporters that she was very excited about her attempt as well as aware of the difficult challenge she would take; she added that she trusted the training she took and her support team.
This is Nyad’s fourth attempt to cross the 160-kilometer strait between Havana and Key West, which would take her at least 60 hours of constant swimming.
The swimmer made her first attempt in 1978, which was unsuccessful due to bad weather after 42 hours in the Caribbean water. Later in 2011, Nyad made another two unsuccessful attempts, in August and in September.
Just two months ago, Australian swimmer Penny Palfrey interrupted a similar attempt at just 40 kilometers from her destination and she became the first swimmer to cover 160 kilometers without a protection cage.
