Damián Blaum Honored By International Swimming Hall Of Fame
Courtesy of Ned Denison, International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.
Damián Blaum from Argentina has an impressive track record of success after racing in over 120 marathon swim competitions during his career:
* 2008 Olympian
* FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix champion
* Traversée internationale du lac St-Jean champion
* 57 km Maratón Acuática Internacional Santa Fe – Coronda champion (on his 14th attempt)
* Maratona del Golfo Capri-Napoli champion
* Marnaton eDreams Cadaqués champion
* Crew member for Trent Grimsey’s English Channel world record crossing
* Río de la Plata record holder between Uruguay and Argentina in 9 hours 6 minutes
* Maraton Villa Urquiza Paraná champion
And an inductee (Honor Swimmer) in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, Class of 2020.
“Damián is always there at the finish, whether he finishes first or he finishes out of a podium position,” observed Steven Munatones. “Damián is just not going to give up. He will swim anywhere anytime against anyone. He loves challenges and always rises to the occasion. It is people like Damián – and his wife Esther Nuñez Morera – who embody the sport of marathon swimming – and have done so over a long, long time. The first time Damián competed in a FINA professional marathon swim was in 2002 – and he is still going at it.”
Ned Denison, chairperson of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, said, “Damián has represented Argentina at 8 FINA World Championships: in Barcelona in 2003, in Dubai in 2004, in Montreal in 2005, in Naples in 2006, in Melbourne in 2007, in Seville in 2008, in Roberval in 2010, and in Shanghai in 2011. He was the FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix champion in 2013, and the runner-up on the FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix in 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2012 and finished third overall on the FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix in 2008 and 2017.
He was a 3-time winner of 88 km Maratón Hernandarias-Paraná in 2007, 2009 and 2010, a 2-time winner of the 36 km Maratona del Golfo Capri-Napoli in 2010 and 2015.”
The induction ceremony for Blaum and the rest of the honorees will be held in New York City on May 2nd 2020.
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