Video Of The Week - Quadruple Amputee Completes Continent-Linking Swim

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In April 2012, French athlete Philippe Croizon announced that he was going to symbolically link the world's five continents by swimming across the series of narrow straits that separates them. While the quest would have been challenging for any able-bodied person, it was even more so for this amazing man given that he is a quadruple amputee which means, he has neither arms nor legs.

However, the 44-year old who made history in 2010 when he became the first quadruple amputee to swim across the English Channel, was not daunted by the challenge. On May 6th, he and his trainer Arnaud Chassery, set off from France and began their first continent link by swimming from Papua New Guinea to Indonesia (symbolically linking Oceania and Asia).

Then it was across the Red Sea between Jordan and Eqypt (Asia to Africa), the 8.9 mile Strait of Gibraltar, that connects Africa to Europe and finally on August 18th, the 2.7 mile stretch between the US island of Little Diomede and Russia's Great Diomede, symbolically connecting Asia and the Americas. This last stretch across the freezing waters of the Bering Strait, which he described as the most difficult one of all, took Philippe an hour and 20 minutes. But, he had done it!

Next up for for this amazing man? Flying to London to cover the Paralympics on radio and television. Just shows that if one puts their mind to it, anything is possible!

Resources: Telegraph.co.uk, BBC.co.uk

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117 Comments
  • taryn123:)about 12 years
    wow that is amazing i hope he get like alot of fans he shown everybody that nothing can hold you down i am so happy for him!!!!!:)
    • Awesomekid5over 12 years
      I have to give that guy serious respect. I couldn't have done that with no arms. That guy has some serious skill that was "out of this world."
      • TomboyLGover 12 years
        i have to do this for meh teacher :PP fun and funny one who is Mary :PP
        • benover 12 years
          the dog looks cute in that hat
          • GSDdogover 12 years
            That's just awesome.
            • dogover 12 years
              that man is sooooo cool
              • savannahover 12 years
                i thing he could go to the swiming team for hanycape people
                • leahover 12 years
                  awesome that man is incredible wwwwooooowwww!!!!!!!!!
                  • dssover 12 years
                    so inspiring
                    • Amberover 12 years
                      how could he do that