Limbless swimmer links all continents

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Published time: August 18, 2012 12:33
Edited time: August 18, 2012 16:33

Quadruple amputee Philippe Croizon swam all the way from America to Asia in his quest to link every continent.

The 44-year-old French national endured the strong currents and four-degrees Celsius temperature of the Bering Strait in a four-kilometer swim between the US island of Little Diomede and Russia's Big Diomede.

Croizon was accompanied by long-distance swimmer Arnaud Chassery. Beginning in May, the duo swam across three other straits separating the continents – the Red Sea, the Strait of Gibraltar and from Papua New Guinea to Indonesia.

After reaching Big Diomede, Croizon said it was the hardest swim of his life, despite lasting for only 80 minutes.

Philippe lost his arms and legs after being struck by electricity. He didn’t lose heart, however, and managed these near-impossible feats thanks to specially designed artificial limbs.