The Coolest Record

Or should I say coldest? In freezing waters that were as low as 0.1 degree celsius, Lewis Pugh became the first human to swim below the ice sheets of Antarctica. Insanity or superhuman? Well, he did it to raise awareness for climate change and the melting ice caps. Definitely a superhero who melts hearts.

Even more astonishingly, he wore next to nothing for his icy dip. So, if you do desire to have your own ice bucket challenge, be sure to check out our tips and tricks on how to stay warm while swimming.

Swimming Naked

Speaking of stripping, who knew that skinny dipping could raise awareness for cancer? 2505 courageous women united on the shores of Wicklow, Ireland to bare it all for a cause that matters.

Legends Are Made Of This

While Pugh and these women have certainly made a difference, we can’t forget about athletes who overcome extraordinary odds and triumph in competition.

Yes, I’m talking about the one and only Michael Phelps. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he won 8 gold medals. This sealed his reputation as the athlete with the most number of swimming medals at one Olympics.

Wait a moment! An honorable mention has to go to Joseph Schooling here. Thank you for being the first Olympic Gold Medalist for Singapore and inspiring a nation to strive for physical greatness.

Dive Deep Into Training

After hearing about all these inspiring figures, it’s time we did some training. Perhaps diving at the world’s deepest swimming pool will do the trick. Unsurprisingly, it is located near the city of water, in Montegrotto Terme, Italy.

Known as the Y-40 Deep Joy, it is 42 metres deep. That’s equivalent to a 13 storey building! With heated waters and caves to explore, be prepared for a whole new world down below.

However, enthusiasts should note that Poland intends to break this record with a pool depth of 45 metres surrounded by a hotel(complete with underwater views) soon. Work has been halted due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Float Your Boat

On the flip side, you might prefer to swim leisurely and lounge around to show off your abs. Italy is so far away to go for training too. But, I know just the place where you can swim to your heart’s content.

It is none other than the Lexis Hibiscus Port Dickson, Malaysia. It is recorded as the resort with the most number of swimming pools at a whopping 643. Each villa has its own private pool and umm, price tag.

Everyone Can Swim

Fret not if you can’t afford swimming at the resort, for everyone can learn to swim and will swim together in a tight spot (literally and figuratively). 469 Buffalo Triathlon swimmers treaded water in one pool to make a world record on the second of June 2013. Oh yeah, you can break records by just knowing how to swim (and maybe, organizing a big gathering).

On a more serious note, threading water is an important life skill and crucial for survival. You also can’t go wrong with learning how to back float which leads us to our last and final record...

Never Too Late To Swim

… You can learn to swim at any age, no matter how old you are. Just look at George Corones, a 99 year old man, who broke the 50 metre freestyle world record. He only started swimming competitively at the age of 80 too. Wow, there is literally nothing you can’t do if you put your mind to it.

Not All That Glitters is Gold

Fame and records aside, swimming is a great sport to keep both the body and mind healthy. At the end of the day, what matters most is that you enjoy what you are doing, regardless of how you look. 

Sign up for swimming lessons in Singapore to kick start your swimming journey.

Hi Readers! A peek into my life consists of figure skating, traveling, writing and doing many things to keep up my fitness like yoga and swimming. As a skating coach and former music & movement instructor, I hope to shed some light on how fitness and swimming in particular, can benefit and aid you. Cheers!