Endurance swimmer Chloe McCardel completes record-breaking Channel crossing
Endurance swimmer Chloe McCardel has completed a record-breaking crossing of the English Channel, landing in Calais, France, just before 7am on Sunday (16/08).
The 35-year-old Australian took 10 hours and 40 minutes to make her 35th Channel crossing after leaving Abbot's Cliff beach near Folkestone on Saturday evening.
The 21-mile trip means Ms McCardel moves to second on the list of the most Channel swims, passing the men's record of 34 held by British athlete Kevin Murphy.
She now only trails another Briton, Alison Streeter, who has completed the challenge 43 times.
Watch the moment when Chloe reached the finishing line:
Chloe McCardel:
Although there was some concern as to whether Ms McCardel and her team would need to quarantine on their return to the UK, she said she had been given the all-clear by English and French coastguards, adding she was hoping to celebrate once she was back on British soil.
She said: "I would like to have a little celebration this evening in England."
Ms McCardel added that, after completing four swims in 16 days to break the record, she was looking forward to finally getting some well-earned rest. "I've got a lot more muscular soreness than I anticipated, I don't think I want to swim the Channel again for a while," she laughed.