Alicja Giedryś, a student from the Academy of Physical Education and Sport in Gdańsk, has achieved an extraordinary feat by successfully swimming across the English Channel. Giedryś completed the gruelling swim in a time of 12 hours and 29 minutes, marking a significant milestone in the realm of open-water swimming.
Competing as a member of the disabled swimming section of the Rehabilitation and Sports Association SZANSA START Gdańsk, Giedryś has demonstrated remarkable resilience and skill. Her extensive experience includes both competitive pool swimming and challenging open-water events.
Her latest accomplishment adds to a distinguished list of achievements. Notably, she became the first woman to complete the Extreme Baltic Challenge, swimming a 36-kilometer route from Gdynia to Hel and back. With this latest English Channel crossing, Giedryś joins an elite group as the 14th Polish swimmer to conquer the Channel and the fourth woman to do so.
The English Channel, spanning 33.1 kilometres at its narrowest, is renowned for its challenging conditions. Swimmers contend with cold temperatures, shifting currents, and heavy maritime traffic. The Channel Swimming Association manages the crossing, providing safety and navigation support while enforcing strict regulations that mandate swimsuits, caps, and goggles, and prohibit any assistive devices.