Marathon Swimmer, 35, Attempts World Record 34-Mile Distance in River Infested with 5,500 Crocodiles

Ultramarathon swimmer Andy Donaldson Credit: Andy Donaldson/Instagram NEED TO KNOW Andy Donaldson began his 34-mile swim along the crocodile-filled Ord River in Western Australia on April 28 The 35-year-old holds three world records for long-distance swimming and aims to achieve his fourth with this challenge If successful, Donaldson will be the first man to hold the record and complete his longest solo swim challenge A British-Australian marathon swimmer is attempting to break the world record by swimming more than 34 miles along one of Australia's most crocodile-infested rivers. At around 5:30 a. m.

local time on Tuesday, April 28, Andy Donaldson set off on the “dam to dam” challenge, swimming 55km (34. 18 miles) down the Ord River in Kimberley heading to the Australian town of Kununurra, according to his Instagram profile. The 35-year-old holds three world records for the fastest long-distance open swims and hopes to achieve his fourth with this challenge, which will see him swim among the 5,500 crocodiles that inhabit the river.

Andy Donaldson Credit: Andy Donaldson/Instagram “It's a challenge I’ve had my sights set on for a while and to take something on here, in my home state of Western Australia, makes it even more special,” Dondaldson said in an Instagram post on Monday, April 27. View this post on Instagram In a video posted on Donaldson's Instagram on Tuesday, he is seen swimming along the Ord River beside a man in a canoe, as another boat sails past him. “Just over two hours in, Andy is making his way down the Ord River in Kimberley,” the caption reads.

“This was never just about distance. It’s about preparation, precision, and adapting to whatever the river throws at you. So far, he’s looking strong, settled and locked in.