Chilean Barbara Hernandez, who became the first person recorded to have swum 2.5km in the near-freezing Antarctic Ocean, said that fear — not other people — is her rival.
The 37-year-old completed the feat in 45 minutes, 30 seconds on Feb. 5, wearing an ordinary swimsuit without additional padding, some goggles, a swimming cap and ear plugs.
Her only defense against a cold that would have killed many others: perseverance. The water temperature was barely 2°C.
Photo: AFP / Barbara Hernandez Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition
“My biggest rival is fear ... not [other] people,” Hernandez said after completing the glacial endeavor recognized as a first by the International Winter Swimming Association.
She said she hopes it will also be listed in the Guinness World Records.
“Fear of failure, of failing the people who trust in me, those are my main adversaries,” said the Chilean swimmer nicknamed “The Ice Mermaid.”
Photo: AFP
Hernandez recounted her mind-over-body struggle completing the distance, which started from a Chilean Navy ship near Greenwich Island in Antarctica.
Shortly after halfway, she said: “I felt something cold passing through my heart” — a known sign of hypothermia setting in, with the risk of heart attack and death.
She did the only thing she knew how: She kept kicking and wading until she reached the finish: a buoy in the middle of the ocean.
“It was a super difficult swim, tough,” Hernandez said. “After completing the first mile I felt that I would never reach the buoy ... I felt ... my arms getting heavier and heavier, but I did not concentrate on that.”
Hernandez said she had dreamed of the moment for a decade, but it was not only about pushing herself. She is also using her public profile to advocate for marine protection.
“What scares me is that Antarctica keeps melting. That really scares me,” she said. “When I was swimming, that was one of the things I was thinking about. My legs hurt, but I felt strong. I thought: This is not just for me, it is the cause we wanted to make visible. That gives you a boost.”
Last week, the National Snow and Ice Data Center in the US reported that the Antarctic Ocean area covered by ice had shrunk to a record low.
After completing her swim, Hernandez was plucked from the icy waters and admitted to the onboard clinic of the Janequeo navy ship. By the time she got there, her body temperature was just 27°C — far below the average of about 37°C for a person in good health. She never lost consciousness, although she did ramble incoherently for a bit.
Within two hours, she was back to her old self, Hernandez said.
Her next challenge is the Oceans Seven marathon, which consists of swimming through seven channels or straits around the world, finishing in Japan in August.
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