Dr. Mariam Saleh Binladen from Saudi Arabia and Andy Donaldson from Scotland completed a 25 km tandem swim around the World Islands in Dubai today.

Their World Islands Swim started at 2 am in darkness as the duo swam side-by-side through the night and into the early afternoon, finishing the clockwise circumnavigation swim in 10 hours 41 minutes with Dubai’s majestic skyline featuring landmarks like the Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab – serving as their backdrop. They swam around the World Islands breakwater, a perimeter wall that protects the 300 man-made islands off Dubai’s coast.

The swim, organised and supported by Dubai International Marine Club and the Dubai Sports Council, began in the ‘Oceania’ section of the World Islands and showcased Dubai’s unique potential for endurance events in its surrounding waters.

Dr. Binladen said, “This swim was about much more than endurance. It was a platform to advocate for ocean health and inspire greater participation in open water swimming, particularly among women in the region. I want young women here to know that with hard work and belief, they can achieve anything. I am also incredibly grateful for the opportunity to share this with world-class international athletes like Andy – to have them experience the beauty of our waters and see first-hand the hospitality, generosity, and world-class support we have here in the UAE.”

Donaldson praised the organization and safety provided by the Dubai Sports Council. “The level of support, professionalism, and world-class organisation for this swim was outstanding. Dubai’s waters fly under the radar as an open water swimming destination, but they are clean, safe, and offer incredible opportunities for more endurance swims and events. This region has all the makings of a global hub for open water swimming. I’m excited about the potential to continue building something special here with Mariam.”

Both athletes are on a global tour of endurance events that unite specific purposes with sports. They emphasised the importance of protecting the UAE’s waters and beyond, tying their efforts to the broader mission of environmental stewardship. “We couldn’t have done this without the incredible support of the Dubai International Marine Club and Dubai Sports Council,” Dr. Binladen added. “Their involvement allowed us to bring this vision to life, and we’re grateful for their help in making this possible.”

They additionally want to establish the Middle East as a premier destination for open water swimming.

Two other documented circumnavigation swims with a purpose have been completed around the World Islands:

• The 25 km Swim The World by Kate Willoughby of New Zealand in 10 hours 56 minutes in November 2012 around the perimeter wall that protects the man-made development of 300 islands in a charity swim to raise money for and awareness of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
• The 23 km Swim for Hope by Sam Barnett of Great Britain who swam 23 km around the World Islands in 9 hours 54 minutes in a charity swim for Al Jalila Foundation, a global philanthropic organization dedicated to transforming lives through medical education and research in November 2017.

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