This Tuesday, free water swimmer Mayra Santos became the first to complete the round trip between Madeira and Deserta Grande Island without interruption in about 20 hours.
The Portuguese-Brazilian athlete left Cais de Santa Cruz on Madeira Island at 00:00 on Tuesday and headed to Deserta Grande on a round trip of about 60 kilometers, finishing a few minutes before the start at 9 p.m.
“My mouth and throat are damaged,” Mayra Santos said as soon as she got out of the water, and then said that the sea was not her “friend” at all, especially on the way back, with “terrible currents” that forced her to change her trajectory.
The swimmer said that despite the difficulties she experienced after returning from Deserta Grande, she never thought about “giving up” but explained that it was necessary to put in all her strength and “give everything she has.”
Welcomed by a “sea” of people at Santa Cruz Bay in Madeira, the land where she lived for 20 years, Mayra Santos burst into tears as soon as she stepped ashore, confessing that her biggest motivation for this feat was “her passion for the Atlantic Ocean.”
“I discovered my love for swimming so late,” explained the 44-year-old, who said she wants to do it “forever” because she considers herself “a very lucky swimmer” and loves “getting so much support from the Madeiran.”
Once this adventure is over, Mayra Santos will travel to the El Calafate region of Patagonia, in the far south of Argentina, where she will represent Portugal at the Ice Swimming World Championships, which will take place from August 12 to 18.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Dave Martin, and I’m an experienced journalist working in the news industry. As a part of my work, I write for 24 News Reporters, covering mostly sports-related topics. With more than 5 years of experience as a journalist, I have written numerous articles on various topics to provide accurate information to readers.