Adam battles sharks and jellyfish for SportsAid
04 Jul 2012
In one of the bravest fundraising efforts SportsAid has ever known, intrepid marathon swimmer Adam Walker from Indesit had to contend with tiger sharks and the sting of a Portuguese man o'war while crossing Hawaii’s 26-mile Molokai Straits last month.
"It was the most difficult swim I have ever done,” he said afterwards. “But it was definitely worth it. I was certainly glad to see the finish line and I'm hoping that people will continue to sponsor me.
“I swam it for SportsAid because they make a difference,” he added.
In the event though it was the elements that nearly made the difference, with tidal currents almost ending his bid to become the first Briton – and only the 22nd person in history – to complete the challenge. Adam tells the story.
“After four hours we’d covered 10.2 miles and were going well, predicting an 11-hour finishing time which would have been a world record.
“But then the current went against me and started pushing me back. This went on for four hours and I went nowhere. Then it pushed across me so I had to swim another two hours to hit further down the coast.
Still battling the currents after 15 hours, it was then that he met the Portuguese man o'war, which stung him below the water line and left him “in agony”.
“I was literally shouting in the water with the pain, having to pull a tentacle off my stomach,” he said, adding, “I thought the swim was over at this point.” But he didn’t give up.
“I swam for 30 minutes hunched over in pain,” he continued. And still he pressed on. “The current then changed a couple more times before I finally landed in 17 hours and five minutes, covering 36 miles in total – over ten miles more than anticipated.”
Adam’s efforts for SportsAid were heroic (though not recommendable!) and on behalf of all the athletes we support we would like to thank both him, and everyone at Indesit who supported him, for choosing SportsAid and being the difference to the future of British sport. Congratulations on an incredible achievement.
To sponsor Adam, please visit his Just Giving Page.
SportsAid's Patron
As SportsAid’s patron, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge is helping to shine a light on the achievements and potential of young athletes throughout the UK – an inspiring generation who one day hope to represent the nation at the Olympic or Paralympic Games. SportsAid alumnus Sir Chris Hoy welcomed the patronage by saying, “SportsAid played an important role when I was starting out so I know what a huge boost this will be to the young sportsmen and women the charity helps today. As patron Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge will give them the profile they deserve.”
