On August 30th Turkey’s Victory Day, there was a turning point, an awakening, a call for awareness in Turkey to shine a light on the resilience, inner strength, and unseen labor of women.

In 2023, İrem Sönmez (@irmsnmz) became the first person in Turkey to swim non-stop for 24 hours in a project against violence toward women — a feat accomplished by only an estimated few hundred people in history.

The 39-year-old triathlete-turned-marathon swimmer continuously swam for 30 hours along the Kadıköy Dalyan coast, swimming 61 km on a 500-meter open water circuit to bring visibility to the deep, often hidden strength women summon every single day.

The challenge began on Friday, August 29th at 11:00 a.m. and concluded without any physical contact with the boat or the shore throughout the swim in the 22°c water.

This milestone follows her 2023 24-hour nonstop swim dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey and the message “Say No to Violence Against Women.”  This year’s project also carried a strong social mission: alongside her historic performance, Sönmez launched a fundraising campaign in support of LÖSEV’s young heroes, helping provide educational resources for children battling leukemia.

İrem Sönmez said, “Water… the sea…a source of life, transformation, and resilience — just like women. Every day, women swim through invisible currents. They struggle, they strive, they survive. They endure violence, injustice, and inequality — often silently, yet with immense strength.

Through this project, I aim to represent that power. I stayed in the water for 30 hours — starting August 29th, ending on August 30th. But this only testedmy body — but it also tested the limits of my soul. It is a call for one thing above all else: Respect for Women.”

© 2025 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

“to educate, enthuse, and entertain all those who venture beyond the shoreline“

A World Open Water Swimming Federation project.