Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

Mighty Mac Swim is attracting all kinds of swimmers including two American Olympic teammates from the 2000 Sydney Olympics: Amanda Schneider (200m backstroke 5th) and Chris Thompson (1500m freestyle bronze medal).

But their routes to the Straits of Mackinac differed.

While Schneider (née Amanda Adkins) hung up her Speedos for decades while Thompson dabbled a bit in the open water from participating in various Swim Across America events to participating in the 5 km race at the 2004 FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships.

“Being a distance swimmer, open water swims allow me to compete in what I do best,” explain Thompson who held 3 American records and was an NCAA champion for the University of Michigan.

“Also, I like the freedom of swimming in open water as compared to an enclosed pool. There are some great, scenic open water races that I’ve taken part in, including this one.”

A coach with the Plymouth Canton Cruisers, Thompson balances competition with charity in this open water challenge. “Being able to compete in the Mighty Mac Swim is definitely a challenge. How many people can say they’ve swum across the Straits of Mackinac while being able to help Habitat for Humanity. It is a great opportunity, knowing the donations for my swim will put a family in need into a home is great.”

While US$20,000 goes to the winner, the real winners are the beneficiaries of the event. “I’ve been just spreading the word about the Mighty Mac Swim and working on getting friends and family to support my swim and donate to the Habitat for Humanity.

For more information, visit www.MightyMacSwim.com.

Copyright © 2016 by World Open Water Swimming Association