Diana Nyad, a determined American woman, dived into the sea this past Sunday afternoon to complete a dream that had eluded her: a swim from Cuba to Florida. Diana Nyad, 61, lives by the motto “60 is the new 40,” and wants to be the first to complete the open-water swim without a shark cage.
“I’m almost 62 years old and I’m standing here at the prime of my life,” she said to CNN before the dive. If all goes well, Nyad is scheduled to complete her 103-mile swim this Wednesday. Thirty-four years ago, at the age of 28, Nyad set out for the same journey, but didn’t make it to the end.
With two years of training behind her, Diana Nyad is determined to prove to the audience that determination comes ahead of age. “I want to be there to say we have many, many years of vitality and strength and service left in us,” she said in the same interview.
She will be accompanied by almost 30 caregivers throughout her 60-hour journey. Ten handlers, boat captains, six ocean kayakers shark safety officers, a doctor, a navigator will keep Nyad on track and CNN broadcasters will follow her every move and likely provide the worth with real time updates and pictures.
Along the way, Diana Nyad will take short breaks every hour where she will replenish her energy with highly nutritious foods such as peanut butter, protein gels or hard boiled eggs.
Nyad’s friends will accompany the crew on a separate vessel for the last few hours of the swim and supporters are planning to meet the swimmer on shore when she arrives in Key West, Florida.
“I’m almost 62 years old and I’m standing here at the prime of my life,” she said to CNN before the dive. If all goes well, Nyad is scheduled to complete her 103-mile swim this Wednesday. Thirty-four years ago, at the age of 28, Nyad set out for the same journey, but didn’t make it to the end.
With two years of training behind her, Diana Nyad is determined to prove to the audience that determination comes ahead of age. “I want to be there to say we have many, many years of vitality and strength and service left in us,” she said in the same interview.
She will be accompanied by almost 30 caregivers throughout her 60-hour journey. Ten handlers, boat captains, six ocean kayakers shark safety officers, a doctor, a navigator will keep Nyad on track and CNN broadcasters will follow her every move and likely provide the worth with real time updates and pictures.
Along the way, Diana Nyad will take short breaks every hour where she will replenish her energy with highly nutritious foods such as peanut butter, protein gels or hard boiled eggs.
Nyad’s friends will accompany the crew on a separate vessel for the last few hours of the swim and supporters are planning to meet the swimmer on shore when she arrives in Key West, Florida.
