Diana Nyad

Diana Nyad, born Diana Winslow Sneed on August 22, 1949, in New York City, New York, U.S., later adopted her stepfather’s surname. She grew up primarily in southern Florida and began competitive swimming at the age of 10. After graduating from Lake Forest College in Illinois in 1973, Nyad embarked on a career in marathon swimming, setting multiple records. In 1974, she completed the 22-mile (35-km) Bay of Naples race in Italy, establishing a new women’s record of 8 hours and 11 minutes. The following year, Nyad swam around New York City’s Manhattan Island, covering 28 miles (45-km) in 7 hours and 57 minutes, nearly an hour faster than the prior unofficial record set in 1927. In 1979, she achieved what was then the longest ocean swim in history, covering 102 miles (164 km) from North Bimini, Bahamas, to Juno Beach, Florida, in 27 hours and 30 minutes.

Nyad first attempted a Cuba-to-Florida crossing in 1978, a distance of approximately 110 miles (180 km) across the Straits of Florida. This initial attempt, made with the aid of a shark cage, was abandoned due to rough seas. Following her 30th birthday, she transitioned away from competitive swimming to pursue a career in broadcast journalism. However, decades later, she decided to revisit her long-standing goal of completing the Cuba-to-Florida swim. She made two unsuccessful attempts in 2011 without a shark cage; the first in August was cut short after 29 hours due to an asthma attack, and the second in late September ended after 40 hours due to severe jellyfish stings. Her fourth attempt in August 2012 was also foiled by a lightning storm and other challenges, concluding after 60 hours in the water.

In 2013, at the age of 64, Nyad made her fifth attempt, supported by a 35-person team, including her coach Bonnie Stoll. On September 2, after 52 hours, 54 minutes, and 18.6 seconds, Nyad successfully completed the epic swim. This achievement marked her as the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage. Her methods drew scrutiny regarding adherence to traditional English Channel rules, particularly concerning contact with her support team for specialized jellyfish protection gear. Nyad maintained that such contact was a life-saving necessity and incidental, asserting she never touched a support boat during the swim. She has authored several books, including the memoirs “Other Shores” (1978) and “Find a Way” (2015), which details her historic swim. Nyad was inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 1978 and the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.