More than 24,000 swimmers from 35 countries yesterday took part in the Sun Moon Lake International Swimming Carnival in Nantou County, organizers said.
Participants in the annual event entered the water early in the morning to swim the roughly 3km distance from Chaowu Pier on the lake’s northern end to Ita Thao Pier in the south.
Now in its 43rd year, the festival for the first time allowed seniors aged 75 to 79 to participate, but required such applicants to provide health documents and be accompanied by a qualified lifeguard.
Photo: Liu Pin-chuan, Taipei Times
Two seniors met the criteria, including former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), aged 75.
Speaking at the event, Ma said it was his 12th time participating in the swimming carnival.
He said he joined the event every year “to stay fit, which is the most important purpose.”
This year, 24,736 people registered to swim, including 361 foreigners from 35 countries and 130 people with physical disabilities, organizers said.
Meanwhile, Nantou County Commissioner Hsu Shu-hua (許淑華) encouraged the public to watch “Second Life” (突破: 三千米的泳氣), a film about seven visually impaired people challenging themselves by swimming across Sun Moon Lake.
The film premieres on Friday.
The Sun Moon Lake International Swimming Carnival was recognized by the Olympic Committee as the largest swimming event in the world in 1995, and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2002, its official Web site says.
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