Spyros Chrysikopoulos started swimming on May 9th at 12:00 pm and finished on May 16th at 12:00 pm in 2021. During that one-week period at the indoord Athens Olympic Stadium pool in Greece, he swam a total of 358.2 km – or 51.17 km per day – including all stops and sleep.
That is the equivalent of swimming an 1.5 English Channel crossing per day for seven straight days.
That kind of extreme effort requires years of experience and preparation.
He explained, “At the age of 13 without having any idea or knowledge what ultra-swimming is, a thought came into my mind: That one day, I will swim for 24 hours in a swimming pool. So, when I stopped the races in swimming pool, I started the ultra-swimming.
In May 2017, I swam my first 24-hour swim in pool. I swam 77.65 km with wetsuit, because that was training for my upcoming swimming venture: 4 way crossing of Toroneos Gulf.
One year later, in May 2018, I swam my second 24 hour swim and I completed 88.20 km with wetsuit due to my next goal which was my first attempt to swim from Rhodes to Kastellorizo.
One year later, in May 2019, I swam 100 km in 29 hours 16 minutes. I accomplished this goal with swimsuit and in this attempt my split in 24 hours was 82.55 km.
During my preparation for my second attempt to swim from Rhodes to Kastellorizo, I decided to achieve a Guinness World Record. So, in May 2021 I swam for one week and achieved the Farthest distance swimming in one week in a 50 meter pool.“
How Chrysikopoulos set the record was interesting. He recalled, “To be honest, there was no plan or strategy for rest or sleep at all. That week, I wasn’t counting days or 24 hours. I was completely focused on hearing my body. I was getting out from the pool for sleep, regardless of whether it was night or day.
His pace over the 7-day period naturally varied. “Of course, my fastest swim was at the beginning; however, even if there were times that I was swimming slower, after awhile my swimming became faster. For example, during the fifth day, my swimming was faster than in fourth day.
In the beginning, he had breaks when he ate for 1-2 minutes (similar to his 24-hour swims). Every time he got out from the pool to sleep, he took the opportunity to eat as well. In the beginning of the week, he swam the entire day and then exited the pool 1-2 times per day to visit the restroom.
But he also lost time when he stopped to give media interviews with live coverage – which he said he would not repeat if he tries to set the same record again in the future.
An Attempt in Mallorca by Ross Edgley
Ross Edgley is in Mallorca, Spain this week at the Best Centre complex in Colonia Sant Jordi on the most southern tip of Mallorca. Edgley is making an attempt to break the existing 358.2 km record.
Any attempt for this record requires ultimate passion and patience. In order to break Chrysikopoulos’ record, Edgley will have to swim back and forth in the 50m outdoor pool at the Best Centre Sports complex – making 7,164 flip turns in the process.
Steven Munatones commented, “Off the top of my head, I was trying to think of a Guinness World Record that is, frankly, more mentally taxing. Anything performed on dryland – whether it is walking, running, cycling, rowing, or even standing in place – you can listen to music or look at things or the nature or people around you. You can talk with others and see a changing environment.
But this is swimming back and forth in a pool – all the time staring at a black line and breathing to the side – for hours and hours all morning, all afternoon, all evening long, day after day. It requires such a tremendous amount of self discipline.“
Photos above courtesy of Chrysikopoulos by @evi_perraki @spyroskanatas.photographer.
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